Chris Boyd
B.Sc. (Hons), Memorial University
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Supervisor: Dr. Duncan McIlroy

Chris is a geology Masters students starting research in September 2011. He did his honours research in three-dimensional morphologic modeling of Ophiomorpha burrows. His Masters will continue these methods with other samples collected in the U.K.

M.Sc. Title:Three Dimensional Tomographic Reconstruction of Shoreface Trace Fossils

Chris has been working as a photographer since 2006, specializing in international humanitarian photography. You can see his work at www.chrisboydphoto.com

Publications:

BEDNARZ, M., HERRINGSHAW, L. G., BOYD, C., LEAMAN, M., KAHLMEYER, E., & MCILROY, D. in review, Precision serial grinding and volumetric 3D reconstruction of large ichnological specimens. Ichnos

BOYD, C., MCILROY, D., HERRINGSHAW, L. G., & LEAMAN, M. 2012, The recognition of Ophiomorpha irregulaire on the basis of pellet morphology: restudy of material from the type locality. Ichnos

Awards:

2013 Buchans Scholarship Fund of ASARCO

2012 Buchans Scholarship Fund of ASARCO

2012 Best Student Oral Presentation -ICHNIA 2012

Cynthia Sawatsky

Supervisor: Dr. Duncan McIlroy

Cynthia completed her undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Dr. Georgia Pe-Piper at Saint Mary’s University.  The focus of her research was the development of a method to determine provenance of detrital quartz in sandstones using hot-cathode cathodoluminescence and petrography, and to apply the method to determine provenance of quartz sandstones of the Lower Cretaceous deltas of the Scotian Basin.  She will be joining Dr. Duncan McIlroy’s research team at Memorial University in January 2013, and will be studying the effects of bioturbation on the reservoir properties of sediments.

Publications

SAWATZKY, C. & PE-PIPER, G. 2012.Provenance identification of detrital quartz using hot-cathode cathodoluminescence: An atlas of source rocks; Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 7060

Awards

2012 CSPG Undergraduate Student Research Award
2010 W.A. Bell Memorial Award
2010 Faculty Union Scholarship
2010 Academic Achievement Award
2009 NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award

Dario Harazim 
Dipl.-Geol., Goethe University Frankfurt/M, Germany
Email: dharazim @ mun.ca

Ph.D. Thesis Title: The role of physical and biogenic sea-bed reworking as a prime modifier of late diagenetic processes in shallow-marine mudstones.

Supervisors: Dr. Duncan McIlroy

I am interested to develop an understanding on how non-steady diagenesis controls organic matter quality in ancient type examples of mud-dominated, high-energy systems such as muddy coastlines, deltas, and fine-grained turbidites in the UK (Yorkshire Coast), Canada (eastern Newfoundland) and Mexico (Baja California). I am particularly interested to understand how animals manipulate naturally occurring diagenetic reactions and how these reaction products (i.e., pre- and post-compaction cements, clay minerals and organic materials) affect reservoir quality in conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon reservoir facies.

Publications:

Harazim, D., Callow, R.H.T., McIlroy, D. 2012. Microbial Mats Implicated in the Generation of Intrastratal Shrinkage (“Synaeresis”) Cracks. Sedimentology (in review).

Harazim, D., van de Schootbrugge, B., Sorichter, K.., Fiebig J., Oschmann, W. 2012. Spatial variability in watermass conditions in the European Epicontinental Seaway during the Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian and Toarcian). Sedimentology (in press).

Van de Schootbrugge, B., Harazim, D., Sorichter, K., Oschmann, W., Fiebig, J., Püttmann, W. 2010. The enigmatic ichnofossil Tisoa siphonalis and Widespread Authigenic Seep Carbonate Formation During the Late Pliensbachian in Southern France. Biogeosciences 7, 3123-3138.

Conferences attended:

Harazim, D., McIlroy, D., Edwards, N., Wogelius, R., Bergmann, U. 2012. The Biogeochemical Effect of Bioturbation: A Perspective From the Rock Record. Ichnia 2012, Aug. 9-24, St. John’s, NL, Canada (oral).

Harazim, D. and McIlroy, D. 2012. Animal-Sediment Interactions on the Early Ordovician Muddy Sea Floor: The Importance of Non-steady Sediment Accumulation. Geological Association of Canada Annual Meeting 2012, May 27-29, St. John’s, NL, Canada (oral).

Harazim, D., McIlroy, D., Schneider, C. 2011. Spatial Organization of Sedimentary Organic Matter: The Importance of Scale to Understanding Non-steady Remineralization Pathways of Organic Carbon in Early Ordovician Mudstones (Bell Island, Newfoundland, Canada). American Association of Petroleum Geologists ACE, Apr. 9-13, 2011, Long Beach, CA, USA (poster).

Harazim, D., McIlroy, D., Macquaker J., Bentley, S. J., 2011. Unbioturbated Marine Mudstones: Environmental Stress or Rapid Deposition? A Worked Example from the Ordovician Beach Formation, Newfoundland, Canada. American Association of Petroleum Geologists ACE, Apr. 9-13, 2011, Houston, TX, USA (poster).

Harazim, D., McIlroy, D., Macquaker, J. 2009. Paleoenvironments and fabrics of fine-grained sediments: The Lower Ordovician Beach Formation, Bell Island, NL, Canada. Geological Association of Canada (Newfoundland Section). Technical spring meeting, St. John’s, Feb. 22-23, 2009 (poster).

Educational awards:

• Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM) Foundation Grant, 2012
• Geological Society of America Student Assistance Grant, 2012
• IAS Award in Sedimentary Geology, 2011
• Classen Family Award, AAPG Grant-in-aid, 2010
• Bighorn Basin Field Award (GSA/Exxon Mobil), Montana/Wyoming, 2009
• Best Student Poster Award – GAC-NL Technical Spring Meeting, St. John’s, NL, 2009

Elizabeth Schatz
B.Sc. (Hons), University of Saskatchewan 

M.Sc., University of Saskatchewan

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Katie Power
B.Sc., Memorial University of Newfoundland
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Supervisor: Dr. Duncan McIlroy

Research project involves study the three dimensional aspects of reservoir quality in relation to bioturbation. Several of Dr. McIlroy’s students have worked with reconstructing ichnofabrics but the link to porosity and permeability is still quite open. Dr. McIlroy is providing me with the opportunity to integrate my interests in porosity/permeability measurements with 3D reconstructions using the new serial grinding facility in the ichnology research labs.

Through discussions with Dr. McIlroy I have decided to target the trace fossil Phoebichnus, which is common in the Hibernia reservoirs, and which can be studied with material that can be destructively analysed (from the Yorkshire coast in the UK). This will build on the pilot study of Jill Evans.

I have already been integrated into the ichnology research group at Memorial and have participated in several laboratory meetings. I think that I will enjoy working in such a supportive and dynamic research environment.

Mary Leaman
B.Sc., Memorial University of Newfoundland; Geol. I.T.
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M.Sc. Thesis Title: 3D Morphology of Diplocraterion and Ophiomorpha and Their Impact on Reservoir Properties
Supervisor: Dr. Duncan McIlroy

Mary is a geology Master’s student who started researching in September 2010. Her research is focused on 3D morphological reconstructions of Ophiomorpha and Diplocraterion to enhance characterisation and understanding of these very common trace fossils in siliciclastic hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Publications and Presentations:

Leaman, M. and McIlroy, D. 3D Morphology of Diplocraterion. The Third International Congress on Ichnology, Ichnia 2012, St. John’s, NL, August 14-18, 2012 (oral).

Leaman, M. and McIlroy, D. 3D Morphology and Permeametry of Ophiomorpha irregulaire: Implications for Reservoir Quality. GAC/MAC Annual Meeting, St. John’s, May 27-29, 2012 (oral).

Leaman, M., McIlroy, D., and Boyd, C. What does Ophiomorpha irregulaire really look like? American Association of Petroleum Geologists ACE, Long Beach, CA, April 22-25, 2012 (poster).

Boyd, C., McIlroy, D., Herringshaw, L. G., & Leaman, M. In press. The recognition of Ophiomorpha irregulaire on the basis of pellet morphology: restudy of material from the type locality. Ichnos.

BEDNARZ, M., HERRINGSHAW, L. G., BOYD, C., LEAMAN, M., KAHLMEYER, E., & MCILROY, D. in review, Precision serial grinding and volumetric 3D reconstruction of large ichnological specimens. Ichnos.

Work Experience:

2011 Worked with Shell Canada Limited between May to August in New Ventures Business Development.

2010 & 2009 Worked with Talisman Energy Inc. between May to August in Global New Ventures and North American Operations, respectively.

Małgorzata Bednarz
M.Sc., Jagiellonian University, Poland
E-mail: m.bednarz @ mun.ca

Ph.D. thesis title: 3D ichnofabrics in shale gas reservoirs.
Supervisor: Dr. Duncan McIlroy

Małgorzata is a geology Ph.D student at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Her Ph.D. research is focused on 3-dimensional ichnofabric analysis as a tool for assessing the role of bioturbation on the porosity, permeability and fracture-susceptibility in shale gas reservoirs.

Publications:

BEDNARZ, M. & MCILROY, D., 2012, Effect of phycosiphoniform burrows on shale hydrocarbon reservoir quality: AAPG Bulletin, October 2012, v. 96, no. 10, p. 1957-1980, doi:10.1306/02221211126.

BEDNARZ, M., HERRINGSHAW, L. G., BOYD, C.,  LEAMAN, M., KAHLMEYER, E., & MCILROY, D. in review, Precision serial grinding and volumetric 3D reconstruction of large ichnological specimens. Ichnos

BEDNARZ, M. & MCILROY, D. 2011. 3D reconstruction of ichnofabrics in fine-grained sediments: assessment of the morphological diversity of phycosiphoniform burrows. Ichnology Newsletter, 28: 4-9. http://www.sfu.ca/arise/publications/Vol_28_Ichnology_Newsletter.pdf

BEDNARZ, M. & MCILROY, D. 2009. 3D reconstruction of “phycosiphoniform” burrows implications for identification of trace fossils in core. Paleontologica Electronica, 2009 v.1. 
http://palaeo-electronica.org/2009_3/195/index.html

Awards:

2012 Fellow of the School of Graduate Studies Award. Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
2010 Charles F. Brandendurg Award for study of unconventional hydrocarbon resources awarded by CSUG.
2009 Exxon Mobil Bighorn Basin Field Award (Geol. Soc. America).
2009 AAPG Grant in Aid of Research Raymond Moore Award.

Michelle Thoms (completed)
B.Sc.(Hons) completed in December 2011

MSc. thesis title: Three dimensional reconstruction of the trace fossil Rosselia from the Ordovician of Bell Island.
Supervisor: Dr. Duncan McIlroy

My project integrated two different image stacks to create a singule image with detail showing an inner burrow and outer burrow halo.

The trace fossil also showed evidence involving a horizontal component that is usually associated with the trace fossil Asterosoma. This behaviour has not been previously documented for the trace fossil Rosselia.  In the light of my work have been showed this interesting behaviour.

Rebecca Doyle
B.Sc. (Hons), Memorial University
Email: r.doyle @ mun.ca

M.Sc. Thesis: Burrowing behavior of thyasirid clams
Supervisor: Dr. Suzanne Dufour

Robyn Reynolds
B.Sc. (Hons), Memorial University of Newfoundland
Supervisor: Dr. Duncan McIlroy

Robyn completed her BSc (Hons) at Memorial University of Newfoundland.  She completed her undergraduate thesis in marine organic geochemistry under the supervision of Dr. Ali E. Aksu. Her research was focused on characterizing the geochemical makeup of a sediment core from the SW Black Sea shelf using detailed analyses of TOC, TS, δ¹³C and δ³⁴S, and using various multi-proxy core and seismic data to investigate the latest Pleistocene to Holocene evolution of the paleoceanographic communication between the Black Sea and the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

During the summer of 2012 Robyn will be working as a geology intern with Shell Canada Ltd. In the Fall of 2012 she will be returning to Memorial to join Dr. McIlroy’s team to begin a MSc project focusing on the ichnology, sedimentology and reservoir potential of the deep marine deposits of the Winterhouse Formation in Western Newfoundland.  Robyn is very interested in better understanding the role trace fossils play in determining reservoir quality (i.e. porosity and fracturability), particularly in shale gas reservoirs. Her research will include sedimentological interpretation of paloenvironments of deposition, characterization of organic matter, ichnological analyses, and determining linkages between sedimentary facies and organic matter concentrations and potential to yield hydrocarbons. She aims to assess the impact of burrows on reservoir properties and to determine which facies have the greatest reservoir potential, in hopes to aide in the development of models which will lead to smart exploration strategies.