People.BrandonU.Ca » David R. Greenwood » Dr. Greenwood’s Research Team

Dr. Greenwood’s Research Team

Students and research associates in my research group have access to a comprehensive array of equipment and facilities. The lab includes facilities funded by grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Manitoba Research Innovation Fund, with additional resources provided by Brandon University, industrial partners, and NSERC.

  • I am not currently recruiting new graduate students.

Research Personnel:

Cathy L. Greenwood — B.Sc. (Hons., Palaeobiology) University of Saskatchewan, graduate work Monash University – Palynology Research Assistant (Oct 2020—Oct 2025).

  • Cretaceous and Cenozoic palynology (spores & pollen) and fossil plant microscopy.
  • Olympus BX51 and MVX10 microscope bookings and general operations.
  • Technical assistance on the nodosaur gut content project (with Dr. Caleb Brown at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology).

Current Students:

None at this time.

      Recent Students and Research trainees:

      Nidhi Utkarshbhai Patel — B.Sc. Hons (Biology), BU; M.Sc. student, Brandon University Sept. 2021–2023

      • Nidhi first joined the Greenwood lab in September 2020 for an undergraduate thesis, which was published in Palynology.
      • Nidhi commenced a Masters in the Greenwood lab September 2021, and successfully defended her thesis August 31st, 2023. Congrats Nidhi!
        • her Masters project was a palynological (spore-pollen) analysis of a K-Pg section on Vancouver Island, BC (Oyster Bay Formation).
        • Nidhi was awarded in 2022 a Canada Graduate scholarship from NSERC, and the Winifred Goldring award from the Association for Women Geoscientists and the Paleontological Society, presented to an outstanding female student pursuing a career in paleontology.
        • Her project included assistance from Dr. Jen Galloway (adjunct Prof. BU Geology; Chief Palaeontologist, Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary), Dr Sandy McLachlan (U Minnesota), Dr Vera Pospelova (U Minnesota), and Greenwood Lab’s Cathy Greenwood.
        • Funding for Nidhi’s project included a research grant to Nidhi from the Canadian Association of Palynologists (1 of only 2 awarded in 2022) and a MAPS award to Nidhi from the Paleontological Society.
          • Mid-America Paleontology Society (MAPS) Outstanding Student Research Awards are given to the top three proposals each year.

      Jessica E. Kalyniuk — B.Sc. (Geography), BU; M.Sc. student, Brandon University Sept. 2019 -2022.

      • Thesis topic: nodosaur gut content project “Dietary analysis of the preserved gut contents of Borealopelta markmitchelli”
        • C$3093 RTMCS Student Research Program grant and grant from the Paleontological Society of US$1400; student research grants from the Paleontological Society (USA) and the Dinosaur Research Institute (AB).
        • NSERC CGS-M scholarship in her 2nd year.
        • a paper on the diet content research with Jessica as a coauthor was published in Royal Society Open Science, and a 2nd manuscript – as 1st author – is now published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology here.
        • Thesis defense April 29th 2022 – Jessica passed!

      Janelle Vachon — B.E.Sc. (Physical Sciences), BU; M.Sc. student, Brandon University 2018 – ABD

      • Thesis topic: Insect herbivory, paleoclimate and paleoecology of the early Eocene Whipsaw Creek and McAbee macrofloras, British Columbia.
        • Manitoba Graduate Scholarship recipient for 2018-2019.
        • 1st prize for her research poster at the 2019 Prairie Universities Biological Symposium at the University of Manitoba.
      • Fall 2018 & Summer 2019; field work at Whipsaw Creek BC, assisted by Ken Pugh and Greenwood lab graduate students Jessica and Markus.
      • Spring 2019; research collaboration visit to Currano Lab, University of Wyoming
      • Spring to Summer 2020; analysis of the McAbee leaf collection (with S. Schira) made by Greenwood lab alumni Alex Lowe, Markus Sudermann, and Dr. Christopher West.

      Sandra Schira — B.E.Sc. (Physical Sciences), BU; NSERC USRA summer 2020

      • Sandra joined the Greenwood Lab to work on 2 projects over the 2020 summer:
        • with Janelle on the McAbee leaf collection for assessing insect leaf damage.
        • with Jessica on analysis of the Albian age Gates Formation macroflora as a source of food for the nodosaur herbivorous dinosaur Borealopelta markmitchelli.
      • Sandra moved to Germany in October 2020 to start a Masters (MSc) in Environmental Geography at the University of Bayreuth.

      Markus Sudermann — B.Sc. (Hons) Geology BU; M.Sc. Brandon University 2019

      • MSc Thesis topic: Palynology and palaeoecology of the Early Eocene Margaret Formation, Stenkul Fiord, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut (provisional title).
        • Co-project PIs; Dr Jennifer Galloway (GSC/NRC-Calgary) and Dr Lutz Reinhardt (BGR).
        • NSERC CGS-M recipient 2017-2018; Manitoba Graduate Scholarship recipient 2018-2019.
      • Spring 2018; the Paleontology Society awarded Markus the Elvira and Bob Gastaldo Deciphering Earth History Award in Applied Paleobotany (US$1200), which recognizes an outstanding proposal that focuses on the application of paleobotanical techniques to the fossil record and history of life.
      • Summer 2017; Field work July 2017 on Ellesmere Island with Germany’s Federal agency ‘Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe’ (BGR) and the Geological Survey of Canada (NRC), funded by BGR under BGR’s expedition CASE 19 (Circum-Arctic Structural Events).
      • Spring 2017; Markus was granted a Northern Student Training program (NSTP) award for his July 2017 field season at Stenkul Fiord on southern Ellesmere Island.

      Christopher K. West — B.Sc. (Hons) Paleobiology U Sask; Ph.D. University of Saskatchewan 2019

      • Dr. West is now Curator of Palaeobotany at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta.
      • Summer 2017; Field work July 2017 on Ellesmere Island with Germany’s Federal agency ‘Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe’ (BGR) and the Geological Survey of Canada (NRC), funded by BGR under BGR’s expedition CASE 19 (Circum-Arctic Structural Events).
      • Spring 2017; Christopher was awarded a graduate student grant by the Geological Society of America for a collaboration with Alex Lowe for research on McAbee. In addition he was granted a Northern Student Training program (NSTP) award for his July 2017 field season at Stenkul Fiord on southern Ellesmere Island.
      • Dissertation: Early Eocene Arctic climate from macrofloras from Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada; PhD successfully defended August 9th 2019!
      • NSERC PGS-D and CGS-D recipient.

      Alexander J. Lowe — B.Sc., University of Utah; M.Sc. Brandon University 2018.

      • MSc Thesis: Variation in plant community composition and climate at the Early Eocene McAbee fossil beds, British Columbia.
        • Chapters of his thesis were published in the journals Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences and in Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology!
        • Alex was awarded grants for his Masters research at McAbee from SEPM (US$2500) and the Paleontological Society (US$800).
          • He was placed in the top 3 applicants by the Paleo. Soc., receiving a Mid-American Paleontology Society (MAPS) Outstanding Student Research Award!
        • Alex moved September 2018 to Caroline Strömberg’s lab at the University of Washington in Seattle for his PhD.

      Ashley Greenley — B.Sc. Botany, BU, M.Sc., Brandon University.

      • Thesis: Climate distribution and effects of climate change for Manitoba endangered plants.
      • Ashley successfully defended her MSc thesis June 27, 2016, and is now working for Nature Conservancy Canada in Brandon.
      • prior to her MSc, Ashley had worked as a Research Assistant, collecting data on the project Taxonomic assessment of Manitoba fossil woods (funded by BU Research Council).

      Markus Sudermann — B.Sc. (Hons) Geology BU

      • Thesis: Palaeoclimate of the McAbee fossil site using the census collection approach.
      • Completed field work July-August 2015 (student field assistant, funded by the BU Student Union, ‘BUSU’).
      • Thesis work January – June 2016.

      Other notable alumni from the Greenwood lab.

      Cale Gushulak — B.Sc. Biology (Honours BU), Brandon University, Sept. 2013 – April 2014.

      Christopher K. West — B.Sc. Paleobiology (Honours), University of Saskatchewan, undergraduate thesis Sept. 2012 – April 2013.

      Rachael L. Keefe — B.Sc. (Hons), PhD, Victoria University (Melbourne)

      S. Bruce Archibald — B.Sc., SFU, Ph.D. (2007) Harvard – NSERC Research Associate, Simon Fraser University & Brandon University

      Mark J. Scarr — B.Sc. (Hons), PhD, Victoria University (Melbourne)

      Robin Y. Smith — B.A., M.A. Univ. Victoria (BC), Ph.D., University of Saskatchewan

      Mackenzie Desautels — B.Sc. (Environmental Science / Geology) Brandon University, Honours (Geology), Sept. 2010 – April 2011.

      Colin Sproat — B.Sc. (Hons, Geology) Brandon University, MSc & PhD Western (NSERC USRA with Greenwood)

      Robin Wilson — B.Sc. University of Saskatchewan, NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award*.

      David. C. Steart — B.Sc. (Hons) LaTrobe Dip.Ed. LaTrobe Ph.D. Victoria University (2004)

      Anthony Vadala — B.Sc. (Hons), Melbourne, Ph.D. Melbourne – ARC-funded Postdoc, Victoria University, Melbourne

      Patrick T. Moss — B.Sc. (Hons), Melbourne, Ph.D. Monash – ARC-funded Postdoc, Victoria University, Melbourne

      Websites of Professional Societies

      American Geophysical Union
      Botanical Society of America
      Canadian Botanical Association
      Geological Association of Canada
      Geological Society of America
      International Organisation of Palaeobotany

      Other useful websites

      Links for palaeobotanists