I am a palaeontologist, and recently completed a PhD entitled 'Tomographic Reconstruction of Carboniferous Arthropods' at Imperial College, London. I am currently at The Manchester X-Ray Imaging Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, as a research associate in 3D and 4D geological materials imaging. More information about my research can be found below.
2012 - present: Research Associate in 3D and 4D Materials Imaging: Geology, The Manchester X-Ray Imaging Facility, Research Complex at Harwell.
2011 - 2012: X-ray Computed Tomography Lab Manager, Natural History Museum, London.
2010 - 2011: Scientific associate, Natural History Museum, London.
2007 - 2010: PhD Palaeobiology, Imperial College, London.
2003 - 2007: MSci Geology (Hons), Imperial College, London.
Email: russell.garwood@manchester.ac.uk
I am currently working on a range of collaborations in a number of areas - including palaeontology, zoology, palaeoanthropology, geology and mineralogy. These are united by the application of three dimensional reconstruction techniques. Much of my current research focuses on the Carboniferous Period (359-299 million years ago) which was a time shortly after the emergence of life on land. The first true forest ecosystems were home to a diverse animal fauna. Much of this animal biodiversity was amongst the hugely successful arthropods. Carboniferous fossils are often found in Siderite nodules, and where this is the case, can be preserved in three-dimensions. These provide vital glimpses into early terrestrial ecosystems, and the palaeobiology of the creatures preserved, but study has traditionally been conducted by splitting nodules and inspecting the revealed surface. Such an approach results in incomplete data recovery. My project used CT scanning and 3D computer reconstruction to investigate the life of the period, and overcome the limitations of traditional palaeontological approaches. The thesis and all the associated data is available online.
However, my projects in palaeontology cross animal groups and time periods: in addition to work on the Carboniferous, I have a number of collaborations testing these, and associated, techniques on a diverse range of material. This includes older, Precambrian fossils, smaller fossils such as Cambrian embryos, a range of arthropods and vertebrates, and also experimenting with the computer modelling of evolution.
The video below provides a short introduction to my research.
Garwood, R.J., Dunlop, J.A. & Sutton, M.D. 2009. High-fidelity X-ray micro-tomography reconstruction of siderite-hosted Carboniferous arachnids. Biology Letters 5:841-844. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2009.0464 (More information:1,2,3,4,5,6). [PDF]
Garwood, R.J. & Sutton, M.D. 2010. X-ray micro-tomography of Carboniferous stem-Dictyoptera: New insights into early insects. Biology Letters 6:699-702. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.0199 (More information:1,2,3). [PDF]
Garwood, R.J. & Dunlop, J.A. 2010. Fossils Explained: Trigonotarbids. Geology Today 26(1):34-37. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2451.2010.00742.x [PDF]
Garwood, R.J., Rahman, I.A. & Sutton, M.D. 2010. From clergymen to computers – the advent of virtual palaeontology. Geology Today 26(3):96-100. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2451.2010.00753.x [PDF]
Garwood, R.J. 2010. Palaeontology In The Digital Age. Part One: Breathing New Life Into Old Bones. Magazine of the Geologists' Association 9(3):18-20. [PDF]
Garwood, R.J. & Dunlop, J.A. 2011. Morphology and systematics of Anthracomartidae (Arachnida: Trigonotarbida). Palaeontology 54(1):145-161. doi:0.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.01000.x [PDF]
Garwood, R.J. 2011. Palaeontology In The Digital Age. Part Two: Computerized Carboniferous Creatures. Magazine of the Geologists' Association 10(2):10-11. [PDF]
Mounce, R., Butler, A., Davis, K., Dunhill, A., Garwood, R.J., Lamsdell, J., Legg, D., Lloyd, G., Pittman, M., Warnock, R. & Wolfe, J. 2011. An Open Letter in Support of Palaeontological Digital Data Archiving. (More information: 1)
Garwood, R.J., Dunlop, J.A., Giribet, G. & Sutton, M.D. 2011. Anatomically modern Carboniferous harvestmen demonstrate early cladogenesis and stasis in Opiliones. Nature Communications 2:444. doi:10.1038/ncomms1458 (More information:1,2,3,4,5).
Garwood, R.J. & Edgecombe, G.D. 2011. Early terrestrial animals, evolution and uncertainty. Evolution: Education and Outreach. 4(3):489-501. doi:10.1007/s12052-011-0357-y
Garwood, R.J. & Spencer, A. 2011. The geology and terrestrial life of the Carboniferous. Deposits Magazine. 28:38-47
Legg, D.A., Garwood, R.J., Dunlop, J.A. & Sutton, M.D. Accepted. A taxonomic revision of Orthosternous scorpions from the English Coal-Measures aided by X-ray micro-tomography.
Kühl, G., Bergmann, A., Rust, J., Garwood, R. J. & Dunlop, J. A. Accepted. Redescription and palaeobiology of Palaeoscorpius devonicus Lehmann, 1944 from the Lower Devonian Hunsrück Slate of Germany.
Garwood, R.J. & Sutton, M.D. Accepted. The enigmatic arthropod Camptophyllia.
Sutton, M.D., Garwood, R.J., Siveter, D.J. & Siveter, D.J. Accepted. Spiers and VAXML; A software toolkit for tomographic visualisation, and a format for virtual specimen interchange.
Dunlop, J.A. & Garwood, R.J. Submitted. Tomographic reconstruction and palaeobiology of the trigonotarbid arachnid Eophrynus prestvicii (Buckland, 1837).
Garwood, R.J., Ross, A., Sotty, D., Chabard, D., Charbonnier, S. & Sutton, M. Submitted. Two exceptionally preserved Carboniferous insect nymphs, and debates regarding the origin of insect wings.
Garwood, R.J. In prep. A history of research on Palaeozoic insect nymphs, their significance, and future directions of investigation.
Garwood, R.J. & Dunlop, J.A. In prep. The palaeobiology of the Palaeocharinidae (Arachnida:Trigonotarbida).
Garwood, R.J. & Dunlop, J.A. In prep. Tomographic reconstruction of the enigmatic, schizomid-like Carboniferous whip scorpion Proschizomus petrunkevitchi.
Garwood, R.J., & Dunlop, J.A. In prep. Morphology of the Carboniferous arachnid Plesiosiro madeleyi revealed by high resolution X-ray micro-tomography.
Garwood, R.J. In prep. Untold stories from the history of Palaeontology.
Garwood, R.J. 2011. Blender for scientists: A quick introduction. Tutorial from Manchester X-Ray Imaging Facility group meeting, Research Complex at Harwell, October 2011.
Garwood, R.J. & Sutton, M.D. 2010. SPIERSalign Manual.
Sutton, M.D. & Garwood, R.J. 2010. SPIERSedit Manual.
Garwood, R.J. 2010. Abiogenesis & Early Life. Handout Imperial College module Palaeobiology (5.17).
Garwood, R.J. 2009. SPIERSedit 2.0 - The Basics. SPIERS Training Course; Natural History Museum, London.
I have also coded SPIERSalign, part of the SPIERS software suite. These teaching materials are published under a Creative Commons liscence - details below.
Hunt, A. C., Benedix, G. K., Garwood, R. J. & Howard, L. 2012. Distribution of metal and sulfide in Pontlyfni as revealed by micro-computed tomography (Talk; given by Alison Hunt). UK Planetary Forum, 9th Early Career Scientists’ Meeting, Milton Keynes.
Garwood, R.J. & Dunlop, J.A. 2011. Tomographic reconstruction of Carboniferous Arachnids - New Results (Poster). Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association, Plymouth.
Garwood, R.J. 2011. X-ray micro- and nano-tomography: An accessible tool for palaeontologists (Poster). Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association, Plymouth.
Garwood, R.J. 2011. A Brief History Of Life (Public engagement talk; Invited Speaker). Departmental Visit - Imperial College Christmas Lecture.
Garwood, R.J. 2011. An Introduction to X-ray Micro-tomography (Talk, Invited Speaker). Research Colloquium, British Museum.
Dunlop, J.A., Garwood, R.J. & Penney, D. 2011. The devil in the detail: modern morphological methods allow the confident placement of fossil arachnids as (molecular) calibration points. (Talk; given by Jason Dunlop). 8th Biennial Meeting of the Systematics Association 2011, Belfast.
Garwood, R.J. & Sutton M.D. 2011. Tomographic reconstruction in palaeontology (Talk; Invited Speaker). EGU General Assembly 2011, Vienna.
Garwood, R.J. & Sutton M.D. 2010. Computational simulation of macroevolution (Talk). Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association, Ghent.
Garwood, R.J. 2010. Life – palaeontology, evolution, extinctions (Lecture). Module 2.03, Dynamic Earth, Imperial College.
Garwood, R.J. 2010. Computer reconstruction and Carboniferous fossils (Talk). Earth & Planets Seminar: Imperial College, London.
Garwood, R.J. & Dunlop, J.A. 2010. Röntgentomographie von Weberknechten aus dem Karbon (Arachnida: Opiliones) (Talk; given by Jason Dunlop). Mitgliederversammlung der Arachnologischen Gesellschaft e.V., Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.
Garwood, R.J. 2010. Tomographic reconstruction of Carboniferous Arthropods (Talk, Invited Speaker). The 5th International Conference on Fossil Insects, Arthropods and Amber, Beijing.
Garwood, R.J., Dunlop, J.A. & Sutton, M.D. 2010. X-Ray Microtomography Of Carboniferous Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) (Talk; given by Jason Dunlop). XVIII International Congress of Arachnology, Siedlce, Poland.
Garwood, R.J, Dunlop, J.A. & Sutton, M.D. 2010. X-Ray Microtomography Of Carboniferous Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) (Talk). IPC3, London.
Garwood, R.J. & Sutton, M.D. 2010. Computer modelling of evolution over palaeontological timescales (Talk). Progressive Palaeontology, Bristol.
Garwood, R.J. 2010 . XMT In Virtual Palaeontology: New Insights Into Carboniferous Life (Talk: Invited Speaker). NHM CT Conference.
Garwood, R.J. 2010. Virtual Palaeontology: A Victorian Science In The 21st Century (Public engagement talk; Invited Speaker). Hills Road VI Form College, Cambridge.
Feldman, H. R., Schemm-Gregory, M., Wilson, M.A., Garwood, R.J. & Sutton, M.D. 2010. Digitized Reconstruction Of The Internal Hard-Part Anatomy Of Articulate Brachiopods (Poster). GSA Northeastern Section (45th Annual) and Southeastern Section (59th Annual) Joint Meeting.
Garwood, R.J. 2009. Virtual Palaeontology: Bringing Extinct Species Back To Life (Talk; Invited Speaker). Nature Live Event, Natural History Museum.
Garwood, R.J. & Sutton M.D. 2009. Virtual Carboniferous 'Cockroaches' (Talk; winner of President's Prize). Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association, Birmingham.
Garwood, R.J. 2009. Abiogenesis & Early Life (Lecture). Module 5.17, Palaeobiology, Imperial College.
Garwood, R.J. 2009. The Cutting Edge Of Palaeontology: Computer Reconstruction And The History Of Life (Talk). Imperial College Open Day.
Garwood, R.J. 2009. High-fidelity computer reconstruction of Carboniferous Coal Measures arachnids (Talk). Progressive Palaeontology, Birmingham.
Garwood, R.J. 2009. Using Virtual Palaeontology To Investigate Carboniferous Life: Three-Dimensional Computer Reconstruction Of Siderite-Hosted Fossils (Talk; Invited Speaker). Mineralogy/EMMA Division, Natural History Museum, London
Garwood, R.J. 2009. High-resolution X-ray computed tomography of siderite-hosted fossils (Talk). NHM Student Conference, Natural History Museum, London.
Garwood, R.J. 2009. An Introduction To Carbonif erous Arthropods... In 3D (Talk; Invited Speaker). Palaeontology Society, Imperial College
Garwood, R.J. 2009. Computer Reconstruction Of Siderite-Hosted Carboniferous Arthropods (Talk; Invited Speaker). Natural History Museum, London
Garwood, R.J. & Sutton M.D. 2008. Bringing The Thylacocephala Out Of Their Shell: Enigmatic Arthropods And Tomographic Reconstruction (Poster). Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association, Glasgow.
Garwood, R.J., Sutton M.D. & Dunlop, J.A. 2008. Computer Reconstruction Of Carboniferous Trigonotarbids (Poster). Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association, Glasgow.
Garwood, R.J. 2008. 3D Reconstruction Of Carboniferous Arthropods From The Coseley And Montceau Lagerstätten (Talk). Earth & Planets Group Seminar, Imperial College.
Garwood, R.J. 2008. Bringing The Thylacocephala Out Of Their Shell: 3D Reconstruction And Enigmatic Arthropods (Talk; Invited Speaker). Progressive Palaeontology, Manchester.
Garwood, R.J. 2008. The Investigation Of Enigmatic Arthropods: Two 3-D Reconstruction Case-Studies (Talk; Invited Speaker). Manchester Palaeontology Society, Manchester.
Garwood, R.J. 2007. Tomographic Reconstructions Of The Enigmatic Thylacocephalan Arthropod Dollocaris ingens (Talk). Imperial MSci Presentations.
Garwood, R.J. & Turner, S. 2008-2009 Research in Earth Science and Engineering.
Garwood, R.J. & Ferrat, M. 2009-2010 Research in Earth Science and Engineering.
Garwood, R.J. 2010-2011 Research in Earth Science and Engineering.
Talk given at Imperial open days, please feel free to email with any questions.
I have demonstrated the following Imperial College modules:
I've lectured on abiogenesis and early evolution for the fourth year module Palaeobiology (5.17) and evolution for the first year course Dynamic Earth (2.03). I also coordinated all undergraduate demonstrating for 2010-2011. I was awarded Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) of the year: Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College, 2011.
2010 - present: Founder and commissioning editor for public outreach website Palaeontology [online].
2012: Awarded beamtime on I13, tomography beamline at Diamond Light Source.
2011: Participated in Science Uncovered event at the Natural History Museum, London.
2011: Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) of the year: Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College.
2011: Janet Watson Centenary Memorial Prize for Research Excellence, Imperial College.
2011: Invited to speak at EGU session '3D Modelling in Earth Sciences', Vienna 2011. Photo competition finalist.
2010: Interviewed for NERC Planet Earth podcast: Teeth, spiders and epic migrations.
2010: Invited to speak at the 5th International Conference on Fossil Insects, Arthropods and Amber, Beijing.
2009: President's Prize: Annual Meeting of the Palaeontological Association, Birmingham.
2007: Participated in "Meet the Fossil Detectives" at the Manchester Museum.
2007: Clement Le Neve Foster Prize for excellence in Geology, Imperial College.
2007: Ernest Edward Glorney Scholarship in Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College.
2006: Nominated for The Dave Johnson Memorial Undergraduate Field Mapping Prize, Tectonic Studies Group
2004: Roycroft Prize for Examination results, Imperial College.
2003: H.H. Reade Scholarship, Imperial College.
Popular science talks and publications are listed above.
This work by Russell Garwood (excluding linked journal papers)
is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Background: Eophrynus prestvicii reconstruction by Jason Dunlop.