It has been one of the strangest quarters that any of us have experienced, but it has also been one of the most productive with several manuscripts submitted (awaiting review) along with many datasets processed, now moving forwards towards the public domain. We have also welcomed a new member of the group – Dr Aayush Srivastava (see below). With lockdown in the UK, our visits and conference presentations have not taken place but we look forwards to completing these once travel restrictions are lifted.
Publications
Chithambo ML, Kalita JM & Finch AA (2020) F– and F+-band radioluminescence and the influence of annealing on its emission spectra in Al2O3:C,Mg. Radiation Measurements, 134, 106306.
Kellock CCI, Cole CS, Penkman K, Evans DBI, Kroger R, Hintz C, Hintz K, Finch AA & Allison N (2020) The Role of Aspartic Acid in reducing Coral Calcification under Ocean Acidification Conditions. Nature Scientific Reports, in press.
Halama R, Meliksetian K, Savov IP, Sugden PJ & Sokół K (2020) Pinched between the plates: Armenia’s Voluminous Record of Volcanic Activity. Geology Today, 36, 101-108.
New Staff
Dr Aayush Srivastava is a Quaternary geologist with expertise in luminescence dating and aeolian geomorphology. For his recently completed doctoral degree at the University of Oxford, he applied luminescence dating techniques to reconstruct histories of dune accumulation in the Indian Desert, and further developed the accumulation records as proxies of desert climate change. Prior to his PhD, he obtained a BSc (Hons) degree in Geology from the University of Delhi and a MSc degree in Quaternary Science from Royal Holloway, University of London. Aayush is working as a PDRA with Dr Tim Kinnaird and Adrian on the a luminescence dating project as part of the TerraSAgE: Terraces as Sustainable Agricultural Environment consortium. 
Presentations
Keynote: Goodenough KM, Wall F, Deady E, Beard C, Borst AM, Finch AA, Smith MP, Estrade G and Marquis E (2020) “Primary rare earth element resources: a decade of research and development” European Rare Earth Resources 2020, (now online) 6-9 October 2020.
PhD Completion
We reported in the last quarter that Dr Nicky Horsburgh had successfully defended her PhD on the mineral physics of the luminescence of rare-earth ore minerals and the potential for industrial smart sorting. The University has now ratified her (minor) corrections and she will graduate in the next cycle. Her PhD has been picked up by some external organisations – the mineral physics aspects attracted the attention of the journal Ancient TL and the potential for sorting was covered by the Global Rare Earth Industries Association.
Professor Adrian Finch 