Emily G. Mitchell

Dr. Emily G. Mitchell holds key academic and curatorial roles at the University of Cambridge:

• Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology
• Curator of Invertebrates (incorporating the Watson Curator of Malacology)
• Co-director of the Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe

Her research program investigates ecological drivers of evolution across deep time, spanning from Ediacaran-period animal communities (580 million years ago) to modern marine ecosystems. She employs interdisciplinary methodologies including field-based laser-scanning of fossils, 3D modeling of coral reefs via ROVs/scuba, and mathematical frameworks to reconstruct species-environment interactions. This work bridges paleontology, evolutionary biology, and astrobiology to analyze macro-evolutionary patterns and ecosystem resilience in benthic communities.

Dr. Mitchell leads the Deep-time Ecology Group and actively recruits PhD students for research on early animal evolution, Antarctic benthic ecology, and the evolution of life in the universe. Her work is supported through the Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe and departmental research funds.