Dr Andrew McIntyre

I received my undergraduate degree (BSc) in Geography and Geology from the University of Leicester in 2016 and went on to earn a masters degree (MSc) in Geochemistry from the University of St Andrews in 2017. In 2022, I completed my PhD at The Open University, where I reconstructed early-middle Eocene (~47 Ma) Atlantic Ocean circulation using geochemical and micropaleontological approaches. 

Between April-June 2022, I sailed on International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 390 as a Physical Properties Specialist and Stratigraphic Correlator. Expedition 390 and and the companion Expedition 393 had the following multi-disciplinary objectives: 

1. Quantify the timing, duration and extent of mid-ocean ridge flank hydrothermal fluid-rock exchange
2. Investigate sediment and basement (ocean crust)-hosted microbial community variation with substrate composition and age
3. Investigate the responses of Atlantic Ocean circulation patterns and Earth's climate system to rapid climate change during the Cenozoic

In December 2022, I joined the IODP group at the University of Leicester as an IODP Research Associate, where I contribute towards planning and operations of IODP Mission Specific Platforms (MSPs) within the ECORD Science Operator, organise and run the annual ECORD Summer School: Downhole Logging for IODP Science, provide and assist the IODP community with advice regarding physical properties and downhole logging components of IODP Expeditions via workshops and expand my active research within Cenozoic palaeoceanography and other IODP related topics.

If you are interest learning more about IODP and/or my research, feel free check out the research tab and/or email me am1422@leicester.ac.uk 

My research involves the geochemical reconstruction of Cenozoic palaeoceanography and climate. In particular, I have a particular interest spanning the Paleogene, (66-23 Ma, Paleocene-Oligocene) when Earth’s climate gradually cooled from the greenhouse world of the early Eocene to the cooler icehouse of the Oligocene. My current research projects use sedimentary archives, microfossils and various geochemical approaches from Atlantic IODP cores to reconstruct the Atlantic Meridional Ocean circulation (AMOC) and assess carbon cycle dynamics spanning the Palaeogene. This work is motivated by our limited confidence in how stable the AMOC will be, or its sensitivity to future anthropogenic climate change. Using the geological past, and in particular warmer intervals, could provide us with great insights of how AMOC has responded to extreme warmth similar to what is predicted for the future. Research to date has been funded by UKRI via PhD studentship (2017-2021) and UK IODP Moratorium Grant 2022-2024.

Integrated stratigraphical study of the Rhuddanian-Aeronian (Llandovery, Silurian) boundary succession in the Rheidol Gorge, Wales: a proposed Global Stratotype Section and Point for the base of the Aeronian Stage

IODP Foundation Year Practical Geology with Foundation Year BSc

• UK IODP Moratorium Grant (£50k) to support participation and post-expedition research on IODP Exp 390
• NERC funded CENTA DTP Studentship – for PhD at The Open University, Oct 2017-Jan 2022
• St Andrews Geochemistry Prize – awarded for the best overall mark in MSc Geochemistry, 2017
• St Andrews Dean List

Actively attend UK and international conferences/meetings presenting research and representing IODP. Recent/Upcoming Conferences include:

• EGU e.g. EGU 2023: Conference Talk in Session CL1.1.4 - Deep-time climate change: insights from models and proxies, EGU 2024: Representing ECORD/IODP
• International Conference in Palaeoceanography (ICP 13): Poster presenting PhD research
• UK IODP Annual Meeting
• Magellan Plus IODP Workshops

My research interests include:

• Reconstructing Cenozoic palaeoceanography using micropalaeotology and geochemical approaches.
• Carbon-cycle dynamics during episodes of (rapid) palaeoenvironmental change
• The geochemical utility of microfossils
• Understanding the drivers of Earth System change (e.g. CO₂ ocean circulation, tectonic and continental configurations)
• The application of chemostratigraphy for establishment of the geological timescale and to produce reliable age models for palaeoceanographic investigations

• 2016 BSc Geography and Geology - University of Leicester
• 2017 MSc Geochemistry - University of St Andrews
• 2022 PhD in Palaeoceanography - The Open University