I am a Quaternary Geologist at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in Cambridge, UK. My research focuses on reconstructing past environmental change from terrestrial records, principally, lake sediment and peat deposits. I develop novel (bio)geochemical proxies that help to reconstruct past changes in wind, temperature, glacial history, changes in sea level, and place the impact of current and future climate change and modern pollution into a longer term, geological context.

I undertook my PhD fieldwork in Iceland, investigating the use of volcanic ash deposits as chronological markers, and have since participated in numerous international field campaigns to remote and polar regions, including Antarctica, the sub-Antarctic islands, Chile, Iceland and New Zealand.

I am a BAS Diversity Ambassador, and has been a mentor for the BAS Polar Horizons program, which aims to help increase equality, diversity and inclusion within Polar Science.

Research interests

I am a Research Scientist at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Cambridge, studying past environmental change in Antarctica and on the Sub-Antarctic islands.

My current research focuses on reconstructing past environments on the Antarctic Peninsula, the Sub-Antarctic Islands, East Antarctica and South America to understand past changes in climate, ice sheet extent and thickness and sea level. This research contributes towards the aims of the strategic science framework at the BAS and forms part of the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) environmental science strategy for the UK, which recognises that the Antarctic and Arctic are key components of the global climate system.

I am currently supervising three PhD students developing methods for detecting polymer contamination of (sub)Antarctic and Arctic terrestrial environments, investigating Holocene deglaciation in West Antarctica, and developing wind strength biological and geochemical proxies from lake sediments and peatland records from islands in the Southern Ocean.

Since joining BAS in 2004, I have worked on a variety of different projects investigating: 1) the patterns and rates of past ice shelf and ice sheet loss, glacio-isostatic rebound and relative sea level change in Antarctica; 2) the mechanisms of climate change on the Antarctic Peninsula and in South America over the last c. 30,000 years; 3) former and present-day subglacial lake systems on the Antarctic Peninsula and in East Antarctica; 4) changes in the Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds around Antarctica. 

Collaborations

I use a wide-range of high resolution and state-of-the-art techniques, working closely with colleagues in the UK and Europe to  build assessments of the likely causes of past changes in climate. In particular, we have long-standing collaborations with the University of Ghent, Belgium and the University of Durham.

With colleagues in Australia, I am currently investigating changes in past wind strength and more recent plutonium fallout associated with nuclear weapons testing on the islands of the Southern Ocean using lake and peat record.

• Roberts, S., De Vleeschouwer, F., Le Roux, G., Bishop, T., Davies, S., Gallego-Sala, A., Green, C., Perren, B., Saunders, K., Whittle, A., & Hodgson, D. (2025). Geochemical data from peat records collected from sub-Antarctic Marion Island, Site PB1 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/931c6618-2755-4243-a0d6-f0d18f8ca9c6

• Roberts, S., De Vleeschouwer, F., Le Roux, G., Bishop, T., Davies, S., Gallego-Sala, A., Green, C., Perren, B., Saunders, K., Whittle, A., & Hodgson, D. (2025). Geochemical data from peat records collected from sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Island, Site KER3 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/dc11db5d-7a00-4239-8d8e-858b833698ef

• Roberts, S., De Vleeschouwer, F., Le Roux, G., Bishop, T., Davies, S., Gallego-Sala, A., Green, C., Perren, B., Saunders, K., Whittle, A., & Hodgson, D. (2025). Geochemical data from peat records collected from sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Island, Site KER1 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/d712633e-a534-4605-aa34-cc4a8fe16107

• Roberts, S., De Vleeschouwer, F., Le Roux, G., Bishop, T., Davies, S., Gallego-Sala, A., Green, C., Perren, B., Saunders, K., Whittle, A., & Hodgson, D. (2025). Geochemical data from peat records collected from sub-Antarctic Isla Hermite, Site HER42PB (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/a0d0df71-f361-4967-a1dd-8dffdbf287b3

• Roberts, S., De Vleeschouwer, F., Le Roux, G., Bishop, T., Davies, S., Gallego-Sala, A., Green, C., Perren, B., Saunders, K., Whittle, A., & Hodgson, D. (2025). Geochemical data from peat records collected from sub-Antarctic Bird Island, South Georgia, Site BI10 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/85ee0438-731e-4e51-8d77-53d0ec30a26f

• Adams, J., Johnson, J., Roberts, S., Mason, P., Rood, D., & Ramsay, R. (2024). Laboratory spectral reflectance measurements at VNIR-SWIR wavelengths of 17 rock samples from Mount Murphy, West Antarctica (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/fcd80bf1-bd69-4054-826c-a4727af8096a

• Adams, J., Venturelli, R., Goehring, B., Johnson, J., Roberts, S., & Rood, D. (2024). Cosmogenic in situ 14C data and calculated surface exposure ages for 9 erratic cobbles collected from Mount Murphy, West Antarctica (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/dbb30962-bbf3-434a-9f27-6de2f61a86e2

• Nichols, K., Roberts, S., Rood, D., Johnson, J., Wilcken, K., & Brown, K. (2024). Cosmogenic Be-10 and Al-26 data and calculated surface exposure ages for cobbles collected from a moraine adjacent to Mount Murphy, West Antarctica (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/1efc0048-5f0f-4ae7-a3a6-7728fe2ccf48

• Roberts, S., Pearson, E., Davies, J., Jones, V., Gabriel, I., Blockley, S., Davies, S., & Roland, T. (2023). Sedimentological, geochemical, biological and chronological data from a sediment core record extracted from Kiteschsee Lake, Fildes Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, northern Antarctic Peninsula (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/e117045d-ab43-4d0d-9e14-5b6d9a03b301

• Roberts, S., Pearson, E., Gabriel, I., Blockley, S., & Foster, L. (2023). Reconstructed temperature and tephra deposit age data from Yanou Lake, Fildes Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, northern Antarctic Peninsula (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/621cf434-1517-4b36-887d-4285315af695

• Heredia Barion, P., Strelin, J., Spiegel, C., Binnie, S., Wacker, L., Pearson, E., Bentley, M., Hocking, E., & Roberts, S. (2023). Data compilation for Holocene glacial readvance from the Fildes Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, northern Antarctic Peninsula. (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/a89028f1-76d0-41f4-bee0-021633a8b0ed

• Heredia Barion, P., Strelin, J., Spiegel, C., Binnie, S., Wacker, L., Pearson, E., Bentley, M., Hocking, E., & Roberts, S. (2023). Chronostratigraphic data constraining Holocene glacial readvance from the Fildes Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, northern Antarctic Peninsula. (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/b73794b8-5874-4c51-a2f2-fa895553dfcb

• Roberts, S., & Saunders, K. (2022). Proxy data from the Emerald Lake sediment record on Macquarie Island (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/01699

• Roberts, S., McCulloch, R., Emmings, J., & Davies, S. (2022). Geochemical X ray fluorescence log ratio time series data for two sediment cores, LP08 and LP16, extracted from Lago Pato, Torres del Paine, Southern Chile (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/6bd95602-f2e3-4968-8622-c4aeb71c214c

• Roberts, S., Hocking, E., & Heredia Barion, P. (2022). Compilations of new and published age data constraining glacier advance, retreat and aquatic moss layers in lakes from the South Shetland Islands (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/9337f8f4-1a8f-4156-8f79-7a249f733117

• Roberts, S., Pearson, E., Czalbowski, T., Davies, S., Grosjean, M., Arcusa, S., & Perren, B. (2022). Chronological, geochemical and sedimentological data from a lake sediment record extracted from Lake L5 (Matias Lake) on Potter Peninsula, South Shetland Islands in 2011. (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/6575cd7a-cfba-4820-9fa6-257161b4d24b

• Roberts, S., Pearson, E., Czalbowski, T., Davies, S., Grosjean, M., Arcusa, S., & Perren, B. (2022). Chronological, geochemical and sedimentological data from a lake sediment record extracted from Lake L15 (GPS Lake) on Potter Peninsula, South Shetland Islands in 2011 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/2031310d-1e35-4ea1-a1cc-cd318e82d394

• Bentley, M., Roberts, S., Heredia Barion, P., Strelin, J., Spiegel, C., Niedermann, S., & Wacker, L. (2022). Chronological and sedimentological data from Potter Peninsula, South Shetland Islands. (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/4671a42f-7a2e-4883-948c-ef6b26dd41c9

• Roberts, S., McCulloch, R., Emmings, J., Davies, S., Vyverman, W., Verleyen, E., & Hayward, C. (2022). Biological, chronological, geochemical and physical sedimentological data for the LP16 lake sediment record extracted from Lago Pato, Torres del Paine, Southern Chile in 2015 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/f85ee4eb-8918-4aa4-8e51-6c46f4c812cb

• Roberts, S., McCulloch, R., Davies, S., Emmings, J., Sterken, M., Van de Vyver, E., Van Nieuwenhuyze, W., Heirman, K., Van Wichelen, J., & Diaz, C. (2022). Biological, chronological, geochemical and physical sedimentological data for the LP08 lake sediment record extracted from Lago Pato, Torres del Paine, Chile in 2007-2008 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/c75ea98b-080e-455e-a54f-a9e8cf07aa73

• Roberts, S., Sterken, M., Heirman, K., Van Wichelen, J., Diaz, C., Vyverman, W., & Verleyen, E. (2022). Bathymetric and lake chemistry data for Lago Pato,Torres del Paine National Park, Chile (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/01611

• Perren, B., Hodgson, D., Roberts, S., Sime, L., Van Nieuwenhuyze, W., Verleyen, E., & Vyverman, W. (2020). Fossil diatom and geochemistry data from a 700-year core from La Grange Cop, subantarctic Marion Island. (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/49a1ec0e-ae5f-4df5-a59b-fa6dff614678

• Roberts, S., Pearson, E., Foster, L., & Juggins, S. (2019). Chronological and biomarker reconstructed mean summer air temperatures (MSAT) for the past 6,000 years from lake sediments on Annenkov Island (near South Georgia) and the South Shetland Islands (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/df50e30a-0672-461a-928e-aafafb45fd55

• Johnson, J., Roberts, S., Rood, D., Schaefer, J., & Smith, J. (2019). 10Be surface exposure age data from Mt Murphy, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/63bbaf4f-fe53-45a8-b2b5-d41adcf3d35f

1. The Big Thaw

   The Big Thaw studies snow and glacier changes in the Alps and Himalayas to improve forecasts of mountain water resources for global communities.

   Read more of: The Big Thaw

   

2. Impact of Plastic in the Polar Regions

   This project investigated plastic pollution across Arctic and Antarctic environments. Scientists collected water, ice, and sediment samples to quantify macro and microplastic pollution, track its sources, and assess its impact on polar wildlife.

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3. West Antarctica wind strength and atmospheric circulation

   This project used ice core chemical and biological tracers, including marine diatoms swept onto the ice sheet by wind, to reconstruct 300 years of wind strength and atmospheric circulation patterns in West Antarctica.

   Read more of: West Antarctica wind strength and atmospheric circulation

   

4. Late Quaternary changes in the Westerly Winds over the Southern Ocean

   In this NERC-funded project, we are generating Southern Hemisphere Westerlies (SHW) proxy records from each of the three major sectors of the Southern Ocean, focusing on subantarctic islands situated in the core belt of the SHW.

   Read more of: Late Quaternary changes in the Westerly Winds over the Southern Ocean

   

5. IMCONet

   IMCONet is an international Research Network that follows an interdisciplinary approach to understand the consequences of Climate Change in coastal Western Antarctica.

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6. Ice sheet change in the Amundsen Sea Embayment

   ANiSEED reconstructed millennial-scale ice sheet change in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment, Antarctica, using high-precision exposure dating.

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1. ANTARCTIC BLOG: Extreme Geology #10

   One of the aims of the ANiSEED project is to find and map evidence that, in the past, ice has covered the mountains here in Marie Byrd Land. To do […]

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1. Major earthquakes don’t run to timetable, 6,000-year study reveals

   A new study published in Science Advances has overturned a common assumption about earthquake prediction: that major earthquakes follow predictable cycles, and that regions can be ‘overdue’ for the next big one. 

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2. Increases in winds weaken Southern Ocean carbon sink

   A new study of lake sediments from the sub-Antarctic reveals for the first time that increases in westerly winds are likely to reduce the ability of the Southern Ocean to […]

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3. Study shows ice sheet loss over the last 11,000 years

   Reporting this week (Wednesday 5 July) in the journal Nature, an international team of researchers led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) explains that wind-driven incursions of warm water forced the […]

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4. Penguin colony repeatedly decimated by volcanic eruptions

   One of Antarctica’s biggest gentoo penguin colonies was repeatedly decimated by eruptions of the Deception Island volcano in recent millennia.

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• BAS IAPETUS2-DTP Academic lead, Iapetus2 DTP
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