Faculty of Science and Information Technology

Dr Janece McDonald

• PhD (UN)
• BSc (Hons) (UN)
• Diploma in Chemical Technology

• Hydrochemistry of karst cave drip waters (Wombeyan, Cliefden and Yarrangobilly Caves, NSW)
• Reconstruction of past climates using the geochemistry and geochronology of cave stalagmites (Australia and Italy).

My research explores temporal changes in geochemistry of natural archives as a means of reconstructing past climates. Most of my work involves extracting palaeoclimate records from speleothems using trace element and stable isotope geochemistry. I utilise modern drip water process studies to enable speleothems to be targeted as potential recorders of palaeohydrology at high resolution. I am currently involved in speleothem research projects in Australia (Wombeyan and Cliefden karst systems), Yarrangobilly Caves with Dr Pauline Treble ANU, and Italy (Alpi Apuane karst ) with Dr Russell Drysdale. This research is collaborative, involving colleagues from the University of Melbourne (Drs John Hellstrom, Jon Woodhead and Roland Maas), the University of Pisa (Giovanni Zanchetta), the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) (Drs Ed Hodge, Matthew Fischer, Quan Hua), The University of Queensland (Dr Jian-xin Zhao) and the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (Professor Tony Fallick).

• AINSE Postgraduate Award