Maxine Towler

I provide technical support for teaching and research in the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment. Equipment loan requests, laboratory use requests and general enquiries can be made to the Technical Team: fieldequip@leicester.ac.uk.

I support academics, postdocs and postgraduate researchers with their research projects by training them on lab protocols and the use of equipment, and ensuring this can be done safely. This covers a wide range of topics including pollen, water quality, soil, mine tailings and particle size. I have trained researchers from across the University to use our Malvern Mastersizer 3000 particle sizer- not just for soil and sediment, but also for silica spheres for research at Space Park, and powdered metal and pharmaceutical powders for research in Engineering. I look after the field equipment pool which includes equipment for sampling and in-field data collection, and is used for a wide range of research across the School.

I have been acknowledged on publications including the following:

Sellers, H., Berrio, J. C., De Sabbata, S., Jones, R., Evans, A., Brown, A. G., & Williams, M. (2025). Evidence of long-term woodland persistence despite prolonged anthropogenic stress: The combined use of pollen and place-names in lowland Leicestershire, UK. The Holocene, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836251387254

Newbould, Robert (2025). Geomorphic Controls on the Transformation of Wastewater Pollutants in Rivers. University of Leicester. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.25392/leicester.data.29673515.v1

McKee, Michael (2025). Exploring the Impact of Planetary Regolith Properties on X-ray Fluorescence: An Experimental Study. University of Leicester. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.25392/leicester.data.29069960.v1

Mills, Maria B. (2025). Understanding tropical forest carbon dynamics in Malaysian Borneo: logging disturbance, key drivers and methodology. University of Leicester. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.25392/leicester.data.28891085.v1

Mills, Maria B; Shenkin, Alexander; Wilkes, Phil; Disney, Mathias; Page, Susan; Berrio, Juan; et al. (2025). Investigating the accuracy of tropical woody stem CO2 efflux estimates: scaling methods, and vertical and diel variation. University of Leicester. Journal contribution. https://hdl.handle.net/2381/28748900.v1

Himson, Stephen J. (2023). Are neobiota a biostratigraphical and biological marker of the Anthropocene?. University of Leicester. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.25392/leicester.data.23790261.v1

I support laboratory practical sessions for undergraduate students. This involves me preparing the equipment, chemicals and materials and assisting during the practical. I also train undergraduate students to work safely in the lab on a range of procedures and equipment, for their final year projects.

I prepare equipment and materials for taught undergraduate field courses, or fieldwork for undergraduate final year projects. I also look after the Fieldwork Wardrobe where people can borrow fieldwork clothing such as waterproofs and boots.