Jennifer Pike

Professor Jennifer Pike is a faculty member and Head of School in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Cardiff University, where she has been a Reader since 2013 and previously held positions as Lecturer and Senior Lecturer since 1997. Her research focuses on marine diatoms and their application in reconstructing paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic conditions, especially in the Antarctic region.

• PhD in Oceanography, University of Southampton (1996)
• BSc in Geology, University of Birmingham (1991)

Her research interests include marine diatoms, Antarctic palaeoclimate, ice-ocean interactions, isotopes from biogenic silica, and sub-annual to millennial-scale palaeoceanography. She uses diatom assemblages and oxygen isotopes in biogenic silica to infer past sea-ice extent, glacial meltwater discharge, and ocean productivity. Her work spans polar and temperate regions, with a strong emphasis on high-resolution sediment records.

Her recent publications (2020–2024) reflect a sustained focus on Antarctic and polar ocean dynamics, with studies on silicon isotopes, diatom seasonality, sea-ice reconstructions, and biogeochemical cycling. These articles appear in leading journals such as Nature Geoscience, Nature Communications, and Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, indicating her work’s high impact. Thematic trends include proxy development, climate feedback mechanisms, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction using microfossils and geochemistry.

Jennifer Pike has not been explicitly mentioned as receiving scientific awards in the provided text.

She has supervised or collaborated on numerous research projects, evident from her extensive publication record with diverse co-authors across international institutions. While specific grants are not listed, her involvement in major oceanographic programs such as the Ocean Drilling Program suggests significant research funding support. She has contributed to authoritative reference works, including the Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science.

Her research is conducted through laboratory and field-based analysis of marine sediments, particularly laminated sequences that preserve high-resolution climate records. She is part of a broader research team at Cardiff University focused on Earth system science, paleoclimatology, and environmental change.