Paleontology SIG has a new convenor
Kia ora, my name is Chris Hollis and I am the new convenor of the Paleontology Special Interest Group within GSNZ.
I am a semi-retired micropaleontologist, geologist and paleoclimate researcher based in rural Wairarapa. Many of you will know me through my various roles at GNS Science since I joined the paleontology team there, first as a post-doc in 1995 and then as part of the paleontology team from 1998 to 2021. While at GNS, I was mainly involved in biostratigraphic and paleoclimate research and dabbled in most time intervals from Holocene to Cretaceous but mainly focussed on the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary and the greenhouse climates of the early Paleogene. Although specialising in radiolarians, I have expertise in foraminifera and have worked closely with colleagues and students specialising in everything from mosasaurs to fossil archaea. I was manager of the Paleontology section at GNS for several years and subsequently led the Global Change through Time Programme, at a time when it incorporated responsibility for the National Paleontology Collection and Fossil Record File. I also helped establish New Zealand’s participation in the International Ocean Discovery Programme in 2008, and sailed on two expeditions myself.
I now am an Adjunct Professor at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington, and a geoscience educator contracting to Field-based STEM.
I’d like to acknowledge the great work undertaken in this role by Daniel Thomas and Hamish Campbell.
I have taken on the role because I am concerned about loss of paleontological expertise within Aotearoa New Zealand. From my current work with schools and community groups, I know that the fascination with fossils and thirst for the stories from our past that paleontology reveals is unwavering. So, it behoves us to consolidate our efforts and demonstrate that the full gamut of past life continues to have huge relevance to where life heads in the future.
Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua
Let us walk backwards into the future, with our eyes guided by the past.
If you are not yet part of the group you are able to join by using the blue 'Apply a subscription' button on your membership profile (under the Subscriptions tab).
Chris can be contacted on Paleontology@gsnz.org.nz
Further information about the Paleontology SIG can be found here.
Geoscience Society of New Zealand
PO Box 7003
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Wellington 6242
Administrator:
Nicki Sayers
Newsletter articles for consideration:
Editor@gsnz.org.nz
The GSNZ is a member organisation of the Royal Society
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