Profile

Photo:

Liam Herringshaw

My CV

  • Education:

    Braunstone Frith Infant & Junior School, Leicester
    Alderman Newton’s School (now New College), Leicester
    Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College, Leicester
    University of Liverpool
    University of Birmingham

  • Qualifications:

    9 GCSEs (5 As, 2 Bs, 1 D, 1 E)
    4 A-Levels (2 Bs, 1 C, 1 D)
    Degree (B.Sc. in Geology with Physical Geography)
    Ph.D. (Palaeontology)

  • Work History:

    Office junior, Associated Sports Photography, Leicester
    Bar staff, Post Office pub, Liverpool
    Researcher, Sporting Heroes (www.sporting-heroes.net)
    Graduate research assistant, Geology, University of Liverpool,
    Finance administration assistant, Leicester
    Departmental assistant, Geology, University of Birmingham
    Teaching and research assistant, Geology, University of Aberdeen
    Researcher in palaeontology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
    Scientific editor/tutor, York
    Research Assistant, Geology, Durham University
    Lecturer, Geology, University of Hull

  • Current Job:

    I am a palaeontologist with Hidden Horizons, based at The Fossil Shop in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. I am also Director of the Yorkshire Fossil Festival, and a tutor in Lifelong Learning at the University of York.

  • About Me:

    I am a palaeontologist who knows very little about dinosaurs. I am also a writer, a cricketer, and a Dad, although not necessarily in that order.

  • Read more

    I am a palaeontologist who knows very little about dinosaurs. My other half is an archaeologist who knows very little about Vikings or Ancient Egypt. Our daughter is increasingly confused. I am from Leicester, although I have also lived in Liverpool, Birmingham, Aberdeen and St John’s (Canada). I live in York and have done for 10 years. When I’m not bothering rocks and fossils, I do quite a lot of writing about nature and sport, and play cricket for Ovington CC. I love listening to pop music and reading books, and spend too much time on Twitter.

  • Read more

    I am a palaeontologist. I study fossils. However, as I have spent much of the last ten years focussing on trace fossils (fossilized burrows, tracks and trails), I sometimes call myself an ichnologist. I work mainly on fossils from marine environments, and study how life on and in the sea floor has changed over time. I am particularly interested in how animals first started burrowing into the sea floor, between 600 and 500 million years ago, and how this began creating the diverse and complex marine ecosystems we see today.

  • My Typical Day:

    I’m not sure what a typical day involves any more! 2020 has changed everything. However, I like to get out on the coast to hunt for fossils if I can, to try and work out how life in the sea has changed over time.

  • Read more

    I’m no longer sure what a typical day entails. Maybe it will become clearer in 2021!

     

  • My Interview

    • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

      Talkative fossil botherer

      What did you want to be after you left school?

      A writer

      Were you ever in trouble at school?

      Not really

      Who is your favourite singer or band?

      It varies from week to week.

      What's your favourite food?

      I am currently very fond of Mexican bean soup

      If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

      For my daughter to be happy and healthy; for my children's book "My Dad Hates Dinosaurs" to become a best-seller; to present a radio show on fossils with David Attenborough.

      Tell us a joke.

      How do you cut up a fossil? With a dino-saw.

Questions answered by Liam

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