HI THERE!
I’M REBECCA
Welcome to my digital CV.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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
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.
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
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
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
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).
