Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES)

Profile

General Information

I am a geologist who specializes in the development and application of geochemical and microstructural techniques to problems in Earth and planetary science. My research aims to better understand the origin and early evolution of the Earth’s lithosphere, and how it has been shaped by meteorite impacts through time. Recently this has involved studying impact structures, some of Earth’s oldest rocks and meteorites from the Moon and Mars. I also apply the analytical tools developed for this research into the understanding of processes that lead to major deposits of metals that are critical for sustainable technologies.

Current research projects

• Dating Solar System processes via combined imaging, EBSD and U-Pb isotope analysis of planetary achondrites.
• Origin and evolution of the >3.8 Ga Nuvvuagittuq greenstone belt, Superior Province, Canada.
• Formation of the Sudbury impact melt sheet – one of the largest and oldest on Earth and a possible analogue for conditions on the Early Earth.
• Development of novel techniques for in-situ geochemical and isotopic measurements by Laser Ablation ICP-MS.
• Application of novel isotopic tools to the dating and tracing of ore-formation.

Teaching

I teach a range of geological units, from fundamental mapping and petrological skills through to advanced courses in geodynamics, petrology and mining geology. I greatly enjoy teaching field-skills, and contribute to field trips in the south of England as well as mapping exercises in NW Scotland and Anglesey.

Career History

• Dec. 2012-: Lecturer, University of Portsmouth
• 2011-2012: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Western University, Ontario, Canada
• 2009-2011: Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Bern, Switzerland
• 2006-2009: PhD research, University of Bristol
• 2002-2006: BSc (Hons), University of St Andrews

Recent Publications

More recent publications

Professional Record

• Fellow of the Geological Society of London
• Member of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Geochemical Society, Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union
• Journal reviewer for Economic Geology and Chemical Geology

Grants

• Darling, J.R. 2012. New insights into the evolution of our Solar System from combined structural and chemical analyses of microbaddeleyite (ZrO2). Commonwealth Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. £23,864
• Darling, J.R. 2012. New insights into the evolution of our Solar System from structural and chemical analyses of microbaddeleyite (ZrO2). Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX) fellowship. £13,816
• Various industry grants and contracts totaling £24,000
• Eugene M. Shoemaker impact cratering award, Geological Society of America. £1,500
• Natural Environment Research Council Studentship NER/S/A/2006/14061