The emergence and diversification of morphological complex life on Earth is one of the most fundamental revolutions in our planet’s history. Understanding this major transition requires an appreciation of the sequence of evolutionary events – the when – and how this sequence correlates to potential evolutionary drivers – the how. New fossils discoveries from critical Neoproterozoic-Palaeozoic sedimentary successions provide the only direct evidence of the sequence of evolutionary events from the first eukaryote cell to the Cambrian Explosion. A DPhil student would combine fieldwork with palaeontological and geochemical analysis of new exceptionally-preserved fossil material to chart this transition in life’s history on Earth. A number of research projects are available with current research efforts focussed on Neoproterozoic fossil assemblages in Svalbard and Mongolia.
