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HI THERE!
I’M REBECCA

Welcome to my digital CV.

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ABOUT

Personal Profile

I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry (AMGC) research group in the Department of Chemistry at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) (Brussels, Belgium). My research employs stable isotope science and compound-specific isotope analysis to reconstruct paleoenvironments.

Home: About Me

EDUCATION

PHD GEOGRAPHY (ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY)

I obtained my PhD at The University of Western Ontario (Canada) under the supervision of Dr. Fred Longstaffe and Dr. Katrina Moser. My thesis was titled: Reconstructing carbon dynamics of alpine and temperate zone lakes using stable isotopic analysis.

2015 - 2021

CERTIFICATE IN UNIVERSITY TEACHING AND LEARNING

To achieve this certification, I completed TA training, ten 1.5-hour seminars and a mentoring requirement. I also assembled a teaching portfolio and created a 10-page course outline.

2015 - 2021

SCIENCE OUTSIDE OF THE LAB (SOTL NORTH)

I was accepted into a competitive, hands-on science policy short course in Ottawa (Canada).

May 2019

BSC (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE)

In 2015, I graduated with honors from the Bachelors of Environmental Science program at The University of Western Ontario (Canada). I also completed a minor in English Literature and Culture.

2011 - 2015

Home: Education

WORK EXPERIENCE

Excluding teaching positions

Oct 2021 - present

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

In October, I joined the Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry (AMGC) research group in the Department of Chemistry at the VUB.

Summer 2021

POST-GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

While working at The University of Western Ontario (Canada), I prepared a manuscript that uses the oxygen isotope composition of ostracods to reconstruct the evolution of Lake Simcoe.

Summer 2015

ENVIRONMENTAL OUTREACH SPECIALIST

While working at the Friends of the Coves Subwatershed Inc. (FOTCSI), I wrote a successful $41 600 grant from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program and a successful $150 000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. I also travelled to local schools and organizations to give public talks about environmental issues.

Summer 2014

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

While working at the Biotron Institute for Climate Change Research (Canada), I assisted a PhD candidate with daily tasks in the laboratory and in experimental, climate-controlled chambers.

Home: Experience

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Publications and conference presentations

Learn more about what I’ve worked on and how I implement my skills. Reach out if you’d like to learn more about a specific project.

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RECONSTRUCTING PALEOENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN THE LAURENTIAN GREAT LAKES REGION DURING THE LATE PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE

Publications: 

Doyle, R.M., Liu, Z., Walker, J.T., Hladyniuk, R., Moser, K.A., Longstaffe, F.J. (2021) A 900-year history of effective moisture in the Laurentian Great Lakes region. Quaternary Science Reviews. 270, 107174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107174 

Doyle, R.M., Bumstead, N., Lewis, C.F.M, Longstaffe, F.J. (2022) A ~14 000-year record of environmental change from Lake Simcoe, Canada. Quaternary Science Reviews. 292, 107667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2022.107667

Data articles:

Doyle, R.M., Liu, Z., Walker, J.T., Hladyniuk, R., Moser, K.A., Longstaffe, F.J. (2022) Isotopic and geochemical data from Barry Lake, Canada: A 900-year record of environmental change. Data in Brief. 41, 107880. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2022.107880

Doyle, R.M., Bumstead, N, Lewis, C.F.M., Longstaffe F.J. (2022) ~14 000 years of geochemical and isotopic data from Lake Simcoe, Canada. Data in Brief. 44, 108541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2022.108541  ​ 

Completed conference presentations: 


Doyle, R.M., Bumstead, N., Lewis, C.F.M., Longstaffe, F.J. (2022). A new ostracod record from Lake Simcoe, Canada, sheds light on the meltwater pathways of glacial lakes in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin. Oral presentation. IAL-IPA, Bariloche, Argentina. 

Doyle, R.M., Bumstead, N., Lewis, C.F.M., Longstaffe, F.J. (2022). A novel ostracod record from Lake Simcoe (Canada) tracks inputs of glacial meltwater, relative temperature changes, and sources of inorganic carbon throughout the last ~14 000 years. Poster presentation. GES 12, Zurich, Switzerland. 10.5281/ZENODO.6828883

Doyle, R.M., Bumstead, N., Lewis, C.F.M., Longstaffe, F.J. (2022) Using ostracod isotope compositions to constrain the timing of glacial meltwater flow: A case study from Lake Simcoe, Canada. Oral presentation. Online meeting of the IAL-IPA.

Doyle, R.M., Liu, Z., Walker, J.T, Hladyniuk, R., Moser, K.A., Longstaffe, F.J. (2020). Primary production in a kettle lake (Canada) was not driven by effective moisture over the last 900 years. Oral presentation. Online meeting of the European Geophysical Union (EGU). 10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-1150 

Doyle, R.M., Liu, Z., Walker, J.T, Hladyniuk, R., Moser, K.A., Longstaffe, F.J. (2019). A late-Holocene proxy record of eutrophication in a small kettle lake (Ontario, Canada): Indigenous settlement or environmental change? Oral presentation. Meeting of the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA), Dublin, Ireland. 

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USING TECHNIQUES IN PALEOLIMNOLOGY TO CHARACTERIZE MODERN LAKES IN THE UINTA MOUNTAINS, UTAH (USA)

Publications: 


Nominated for the 2021 Jim LaBounty Best Paper Award

Sia, M.E.; Doyle, R.M., Moser, K.A. (2020) Recent Trends in Mountain Lake Primary Production: Evaluating the Response to Fish Stocking Relative to Regional Environmental Stressors. Journal of Lake and Reservoir Management. 37, 47‒62. https://doi.org/10.1080/10402381.2020.1814462

Doyle, R.M., Longstaffe, F.J., Moser, K.A. (2022) An isotopic, elemental and n-alkane baseline for organic matter sources to high altitude lakes: case study from the Uinta Mountains, Utah, USA. Journal of Paleolimnology. In press. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-022-00265-6

Completed conference presentations: 

Doyle, R.M., Longstaffe, F.J., Moser, K.A. (2017). Investigating the efficacy of bulk and compound-specific isotopic compositions, and n-alkane abundances, as indicators of organic matter source to alpine lake sediments. Speed talk and poster. IPA-IAL, Stockholm, Sweden. Co-chair of the “Mountain Lakes: Archives of Paleoclimate, Mountain Ecology and Basin Evolution” session.


Doyle, R.M., Longstaffe, F.J., Moser, K.A. (2016). Carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions in Uinta Mountain (Utah, USA) lake sediments: Potential proxies of environmental change. Poster. Geological Society of America - Northeastern Section, Albany United States. 

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HYDRONIC: HYDROLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTIONS USING N-ALKANES, SPELEOTHEM INCLUSIONS AND CLUMPED ISOTOPE ANALYSIS

This new project is the result of a collaboration between the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB, Belgium) and the University of Granada (Spain). This project is funded in part by a 1-yr grant from the OZR (VUB Research Council).

Upcoming conference presentations: 


Doyle, R., Marchegiano, M., Peral., M., Goderis, S., García-Alix, A., Jiménez-Moreno, G., Camuera, J., López-Avilés, A., Claeys, Ph. (2023) A continuous, centennial-scale lake record from southern Iberia captures fluctuations in effective moisture and temperature throughout the Eemian. Post presentation. EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria.  

Doyle, R., Marchegiano, M., Peral., M., Goderis, S., García-Alix, A., Jiménez-Moreno, G., Camuera, J., López-Avilés, A., Claeys, Ph. (2023) A new Eemian-aged reconstruction of temperature and effective moisture from Padul Wetland, Southern Iberia. Goldschmidt 2023, Lyon, France.  

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CLUMPED ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF LATE PLEISTOCENE MARINE SERPULID TUBES AND ECHINOIDS FROM MONTALBANO JONICO, SOUTHERN ITALY

This project is in collaboration with Marion Peral, Marta Marchegiano, Nils De Winter and others.

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INVESTIGATING LATE-HOLOCENE HYDROCLIMATE IN BELGIUM USING CLUMPED ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF SPELEOTHEMS, AND STABLE ISOTOPES OF FLUID INCLUSIONS IN SPELEOTHEMS. 

This project is in collaboration between researchers at AMGC (VUB), the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry, and others.

Home: Projects

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Winter 2021

LECTURER

While working at The University of Western Ontario (Canada), I was in charge of rapidly moving an introductory Physical Geography course, GEO 1300B, online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. I taught 120 students and managed two teaching assistants. I received overwhelmingly positive feedback from my students.

2019- 2020

CONNECTING WITH THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY

Over the course of two 30-60 min sessions, I spoke to elementary school students in the USA and Australia about climate change. I also exchanged regular letters about science with a sixth-grade student in a low-income school in Chicago, USA.

2018 - 2020

GUEST LECTURES

At the University of Western Ontario (Canada), I lectured twice for Paleolimnology (GEOG 3352) and once for Climate Change (GEOG 2133B). I also gave two lectures to an oceanography class at the Community College of Rhode Island, USA.

June 2025 - April 2026

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

At the University of Western Ontario (Canada), I TA'd eight classes: GEOG 3352A/9216A (Paleolimnology), GEOG 3350B (Environmental Change); GEOG 2152 (Geography of Hazards); GEOG 2144A/B (Geography of Tourism).

Home: Experience

Rebecca Doyle is the best instructor I've had this year. I mean this on a very deep level – I've never had instructor in my life care so much about their students' mental health and wellbeing, especially in such a tough time in the world. She has provided us with so much support and has been very understanding of any exception circumstances. I'll consider myself very lucky if I ever have another instructor who demonstrates the same amount of care for their students.

Anonymous evaluation submitted by a student in GEO 1300B

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AWARDS/SCHOLARSHIPS

2022

FWO TRAVEL GRANT (COST OF ROUND-TRIP FLIGHTS TO ARGENTINA) 

Awarded by the FWO (Flemish funding body) based on 1) participation in an international scientific conference abroad, 2) scientific performance of the applicant to date and 3) groundbreaking content of the abstract.

2022

OZR POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP (1 YR SALARY)

Awarded by the Research Council of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in recognition of academic excellence.

2019

SUMAC TRAVEL AWARD ($1800)

Awarded by The University of Western Ontario (Canada) in recognition of academic achievement.

2017- 2020

CANADA GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP - DOCTORAL ($81 667)

Awarded by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in recognition of research potential.

2016 and 2018

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY AWARD OF EXCELLENCE ($1000)

Awarded by The University of Western Ontario (Canada) in recognition of volunteering efforts.

2016 - 2017

CANADA GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP - MASTER'S ($17 500)

Awarded by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in recognition of research potential.

2015

DEAN'S ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIP ($1500)

Awarded by The University of Western Ontario (Canada) in recognition of academic achievement during undergrad.

2014

WESTERN GREEN AWARD ($0)

Awarded by The University of Western Ontario (Canada) in recognition of volunteering efforts.

2011

WESTERN SCHOLARSHIP OF EXCELLENCE ($1000)

Awarded by The University of Western Ontario (Canada) in recognition of academic achievement during high school.

Home: Experience
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TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

VERY HIGH PROFICIENCY

I can independently operate, maintain and repair the following instruments/equipment: 

Agilent 7890B Gas Chromatogram equipped with a Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID)

Dionex Accelerated Solvent Extractor (ASE) 200

Buchi R-300 Rotary Evaporator 

Leica Stereomicroscopes and Dissecting Scope

HIGH PROFICIENCY

I can independently operate and maintain the following instruments/equipment: 

Costech Elemental Analyzer interfaced to DeltaPLUS XL IRMS (EA-IRMS)

Costech Elemental Analyzer interfaced to DeltaPLUS XL IRMS (EA-IRMS)

BASIC PROFICIENCY

I can independently operate the following instruments/equipment: 

NuCarb sample preparation unit interfaced with a Nu-Perspective dual inlet IRMS (for clumped isotope analysis and classical oxygen isotope analysis)

X-ray diffractometer 

Thermo Finnigan GasBench II interface with a Thermo Scientific DeltaPLUS XL IRMS


Spectroradiometer (Rapid Content Analyzer)

I spearheaded the development of two technical memorandums for the Laboratory for Stable Isotope Science (LSIS) at The University of Western Ontario (Canada): 

  • Extraction, purification, and quantification of n-alkanes in sediments, plants and algae

  • Carbon and hydrogen isotopic analysis of n-alkanes extracted from sediments, plants and algae

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FIELDWORK EXPERTISE

UINTA MOUNTAINS, UTAH (USA) 

May 2014; July 2015; Sep 2016

  • Worked in cold, remote areas inaccessible by car

  • Collected, extruded and subsectioned gravity/piston cores

  • Collected vegetation and water samples 

  • Collected algae samples using tow nets

  • Collected sediments in sediment traps and replaced old traps

  • Used YSI probes and GPS units

BARRY LAKE, ONTARIO (CANADA)

June 2016; July 2016; Nov 2016; July 2017; Aug 2018; May 2019

  • Collected, extruded and subsectioned gravity/piston cores

  • Collected vegetation and water samples

  • Collected algae samples using tow nets

  • Used YSI probes and GPS units

  • Organized field visits and prepared meals for a group

WESTMINSTER PONDS, ONTARIO (CANADA)

  • Drove other students in a cargo van

  • Coordinated students in the field

  • Extruded and subsectioned gravity/piston cores

June 2016; Sep 2018

PINERY PROVINCIAL PARK, ONTARIO (CANADA)

  • Collected snow/lake water/precipitation/groundwater samples for isotopic analysis. 

2016 - 2018

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INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

FIELD SCHOOL IN AFRICA

Summer 2016

I received funding from Dr. Irina Creed (now at the University of Saskatchewan) to travel to Kenya for three weeks to study Kenyan lakes. Alongside a team of three other students, I performed a community-needs assessment to identify actionable ways to improve the water quality of Lake Naivasha. I acted as a liaison between local fishermen and the local government to set up a pilot project that would assess the impact of polyculture on Lake Naivasha

Home: Volunteer Work
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RELEVANT VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

2019-2020

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECOLOGICAL PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EEPAC)

During my time sitting on EEPAC, I provided technical advice to the City of London on London's natural history systems (e.g., Environmentally Significant Areas, woodlands, stream corridors).

2016 - 2018

WATER COLLECTION FOR ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS

I spent ~80 hours collecting water samples to enter in a global isotope database (not for my research).

Home: Volunteer Work

Thanks for submitting!

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