Mr Allan Cochrane

PhD Researcher

Biological and Environmental Sciences Stirling

Mr Allan Cochrane

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About me

About me

Allan Cochrane is a PhD Student, Researcher, at the University of Stirling. His project aims to reconstruct the palaeoclimate and environmental history of the Last Glacial-Interglacial Transition for the Northern Isles of Scotland. He uses chironomid assemblages to infer quantitative measures of July summer temperatures throughout this time. In addition, he uses algal lipid biomarkers (Long-chain Alkenones) to reconstruct a quantitative measure of climate and environmental change. These proxies will be combined with the use of tephrochronology and radiocarbon AMS dating to create a robust chronology for each of his field localities. He aims to determine the magnitude and temporal scale of environmental change across the North Atlantic region and aims to determine the synchronicity of climate oscillations between Scotland and Greenland.

Allan has previously studied Earth Science at the University of Glasgow, where he specialised in palaeoclimatology, paleontology, limnology and geology. During his time here he specialised in the sediment distribution and trophic levels within British lakes. Furthermore, he also studied for a masters degree in 'Climate Change: managing the marine environment' at Heriot-Watt University. His thesis was on 'Ocean Acidification of Cold Water Corals in the North Atlantic'. He assessed the crystalline structure of aragonite crystals and bonding strength using Raman spectroscopy and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD).

Furthermore, Allan was awarded the 2013 Prize Internship at the Geographical & Earth Sciences department within the University of Glasgow. Whilst there he worked at the Biomarkers for Environmental & Climate Science Laboratory (BECS Lab) where he studied the palaeo-humidity of the Sierra Nevada mountain range through the Holocene using biomarkers extracted from algal lipids.

Allan has done extensive field work across the globe ranging from the temperate climates of Scotland to the tropical seas off the Maldives. He has experience in EIA reports, geotechnical assessments, geological mapping and monitoring marine & freshwater environments.

Funding/ Grants/Awards:

NERC IAPETUS DTP Studentship (Oct 2016-March 2020) QRA Small Grant (2018) - £750 NERC Radiocarbon Dating Funding (11 dates/£5500)

Prizes:

University of Glasgow Geographical & Earth Sciences Prize Internship (2013) IAPETUS Student Conference Prize winner - Best Presentation (2018)

Research

Reconstructing Quaternary Environments Micropalaeontology Palaeoclimatology Limnology Marine Science Geology

Teaching

Teaching

Laboratory Demonstrating & Marking:

  1. Building Planet Earth
  2. Biogeography

Research programmes

Research centres/groups

Research themes