Professor Pallavi Anand

Professor Of Ocean Biogeochemistry

School of Environment, Earth & Ecosystem Sciences

01908652225

ORCID Profile

Biography

Professional biography

Pallavi is a Professor of Ocean Biogeochemistry and Palaeoclimatology in the School of Environment Earth and Ecosystem Sciences in the STEM faculty at the Open University. Currently, she serves as Chair of University Research Degrees Committee (2023- ) and deputy of University Research Committee (2024- ). She has previously supported research degrees students in the STEM faculty as a Deputy Associate Dean (2018-21). Her various external review panels/advisory boards/committees engagements include co-chair of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee ((2023- ) and councillor (2024- ) of the European Association of Geochemistry , co-chair of the UK Paleoclimate Society (2022- ), Peer review group (panel C) of UK's National Environmental Isotope Facilities (2021- 24), BBSRC-NERC Doctoral Landscape Award (2024), UKRI Interdisciplinary Assessment College (2023-24), NERC Advisory Network (2022-23) and the editorial board of Paleocenography and Paleoclimatology (2021-23). Her recent invitations to showcase advances in paleoclimate/monsoon/biogeochemistry research at international forum include INtegrated QUaternary MArine REcord at Sensitive Latitudes (2024), American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (2023) and 14th International Conference on Paleoceanography (2022).

Her main research interests are in developing biogeochemical tracers in the modern environment and their application for reconstructing past ocean properties and climate to infer Earth System processes. Some of her current research includea: sensitivity of Indian summer monsoon precipitation during past warm and abrupt climate intervals; climate-carbon cycle dynamics; climate influences on vegetation and phytoplankton evolution; development of new biogeochemical tracers for reconstructing past oceanic environments; Ocean circulation patterns in the warm climate; Caribbean coral reef ecosystems; the impact of microplastic pollution. She was one of the four academic advisors on Blue Planet II, broadcasted on BBC one in 2017, responsible for shaping the scientific content of the programme in association with the BBC production team.

[Full CV ]

She is always interested in hearing from motivated students and postdoctoral researchers willing to come and work on geochemical tracers, ocean, and climate (including Monsoon) research at the Open University. Please send me an email to explore possibilities.

Research contribution highlights

*NEW*

Pivotal moment for humanity as threats and opportunities from climate tipping points accelrates

The Global Tipping Points Report 2023 is out.

(contribution in section 1, chapter 1.5 'Climate Tipping Point Interactions and Cascade")

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

(Image copyright: Pallavi Anand)

OU Research Excellence Award 2022, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (runner-up)

NERC funded diversity and inclusion EDI enrichment project (2021-22)

Evaluating diversity and inclusion within the (geochemistry) academic ladder (E-DIAL)

Climate change: evidence from the geological record

Geological Society of London Scientific Statement: What the geological record tells us about our present and future climate

Monsoon

OU research finds human impacts on monsoon rainfall could exceed natural changes over last 30 million years (June 2021)

also published in Deccan Herlad

A million years of past South Asian monsoons suggests stronger rainfall in the future (June 2021)

the research story is aslo communicated via digital print media: The New York Times and Deccan Herald

Research shows how rainfall responded to past climate change (March 2021)

Research reveals role of Indian Summer Monsoon on global climate stage (March 2019)

Coral Reef

Artificial reef could restore sea urchin populations and coral reefs (April 2021)

Ocean health

Transforming attitudes about the health of our oceans

Research interests

My broad research interest is in the field of development and application of biogeochemical tracers to infer past changes in ocean chemistry and climate. The main focus is to use trace elements and isotopic compositions of biominerals (e.g., foraminiferal shells) and bulk sediment geochemical composition to reconstruct past changes in ocean chemistry, oceanic processes and climate variations on a variety of geological time-scales (centennial to millennial to orbital to tectonic). Another research area of interest is in understanding ecology, calcification, and evolutionary processes in response to climatic changes in marine calcifiers. Some areas of current research include:

Drivers of Indian Summer Monsoon rainfall during past warm climate (data-model integration approach)
Controls on trace elements (e.g., Mg, Li, Ba, Nd, Mn, U) and stable isotopes (e.g., oxygen and carbon) incorporation during bio-mineralization
Application of coupled trace elements/Ca ratios and oxygen isotope in foraminifera to reconstruct past changes in sea surface and bottom water properties
Study of microfossils species composition and shell parameters (length, size, density and weight) to understand ecology and controls on the calcification process
Validation and application of isotopic tracers (e.g., Sr, Nd and Li) in microfossils and sediments to understand changes in continental weathering, ocean circulation, and provenance during the Cenozoic
Modern Coral reef habitat health and conservation
Impact of microplastic pollution

PhD projects 2025

Application is open through ILESLA programme, details here (NERC research via OU).

The key differences between these studentships and the OU standard PhD (including advertised CENTA projects) is:

Students do not apply to a project, they apply to one of the five key research areas (five interconnected themes).
Students are funded for the full four years (enhanced stipend, £2k extra per year).
Year one includes training, mostly based in Oxford.
Students will complete two 12-week rotation projects in year one before proposing their own PhD project.
If you have any query then please email ILESLA@open.ac.uk

(Please contact pallavidotanand at opendotacdotuk to discuss if you would like to co-develop future project ideas on Ocean biogeochemistry, Monsoon climate, Coral reef, microplastic pollution and Diversity and inclusion.)

If you are visiting us on campus then please find this 3D OU map !

Postgraduate Research Support

Current PhD research projects

OU projects

Reconstruction of Indian Monsoon dynamics in response to Pliocene climate (Shardul Pandit, CENTA2) (2024-)
The evolution of the climate-carbon cycle through the last interglacial (Tim Cutler, OU/STEM) (2021-)
Impact of microplastic pollution on soil nutrient and vegetation (Joanna Jesionkowska, OU/CENTA2, part-time) (2021) (project info; authored article)
Integrating technological solutions to modernise the study and assessment of coral reefs (Shannon Cameron, Opwall and OU, part-time) - 2020 (project info)

I have had privilege of working with the following researchers:

Dr Jinrong Gan (Orbital scal variability and evolution of the South Asian Monsoon during the Miocene-Pleistocene) – Exeter/OU PhD 2024 Follow our Indian Monsoon research progress

Dr Emmeline Gray (Plio-Pleistocene monsoon-driven coccolithophore productivity and stratification reconstructions) – OU/CEREG PhD 2023

Dr Sophie Alexander (Onset of the Antarctic circumpolar current and the oceanographic isolation of Antarctica) - CENTA2 PhD 2023 (project info)

Dr Andrew McIntyre (Climate and carbon cycle instability during extreme ‘greenhouse’ warmth) - CENTA2 PhD 2022 ((project info))

Dr Yasmin B. Friberg (Reconstructing Indian Summer Monsoon variability during the Pliocene-Pleistocene) - OU/STEM PhD 2021

Dr Charuta Kulkarni (Marie Curie fellow) on project EARNEST (Examining the Agroforestry Landscape Resilience in India to inform Social-Ecological Sustainability in the Tropics)

Dr Katrina Nilsson-Kerr (Reconstructing the Indian monsoon response to global climate change)- CENTA PhD 2019 research info

Dr Max Bodmer (Restoration of the long-spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum) - OU-Opwall PhD 2018 research highlight

Dr Adele Cameron (Ocean Circulation during Eocene extreme ‘greenhouse') - NERC PhD 2015

Dr Kate H. Salmon (Impact of ocean acidification on biocalcification) - NERC/UKOARP PhD 2014

Dr Joe Stewart (Silicate weathering across the Oligocene-Miocene boundary: evidence from lithium and neodymium isotopes) - NERC PhD

Dr Emily Stevenson (Stable strontium isotope fractionation in marine and terrestrial environments) - NERC PhD

Dr Eleanor H. John (Weathering and Climate: new insights from the marine records of Li and Nd ) - NERC Postdoc

Mr Bailey Bigger (Nature and distribution of microplastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean) - Oxford Brookes

External PhD examinations (Panel/Committee)

I have experience of PhD thesis examinations in the UK, Europe, India and USA

Heriot Watt (UK); Cardiff University (UK); Glasgow University (UK); Lund University (Sweden); Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai (India); Indian Institute of Science, Banglore (India); Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India); Brown University (USA)

Teaching interests

Teaching modules

Questions in Science (S111) - module presentation
Environment: responding to change (SDT306) - module production
Environmental Science (S(FX)206) - module update (production) and presentation
Earth processes (Oceans) (S309) - module production and presentation
Environment: sharing a dynamic planet (DST206) - module update and presentation
Science and society (S201) - module production
An introduction to the Earth - Life System (S279) - module presentation and examination board chair
Practical Sciences (S288) - module presentation
Oceanography (S330) - module presentation and examination board chair

External Examiner

B Sc. Environmental Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, UK (2024 - )

Impact and engagement

I was one of the academic advisers on the production of Blue Planet II, the landmark BBC one natural history series (2014 to 2017). I co-authored a poster to communicate about our Blue Planet in 'Oceans' poster: order your free poster here and communicated our research impact of BPII in a workshop organised by BAS (Cambridge) to bring different stakeholders in communicating plastic pollution challenges and solutions.

I have also contributed to the following science communicaton and public outreach events:

contribution to the Climate statement (2020) - Geological Society of London Scientific Statement: what the geological record tells us about our present and future climate
invited talk on "Climate change and the Marine World: engaging with the public" for the World Oceans Day organised by Cambridge University Marine Conservation Society and Cambridge Conservation Forum (2019)
invited panel member to share oceanographic field experience at Female in the Field: Challenges and Opportunities event organised by the Geological Society London (20th May 2019)
invited to speak at a STEM outreach event “Grow from your STEM”, part of the Inspiring Women Campaign, organised by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, UK.
New Scientist Live (2018)
share academic experiences at 500 Woman in Science, London pod (2017)
invited at Milton Keynes Soapbox Science to talk about plankton and climate research (2017)

Nuffield research palecement (2009 - )

I am passionate about inspiring and giving opportunities for research placements to young people ('A' level) in our local area working in partnership with the Nuffield Foundation. I have supported >30 students through the Nuffield partnership over more than a decade, particularly focussing on giving research experience to students from diverse background (NRP endorsement). These placements have allowed students to be involved in cutting-edge research and making a valuable contribution to wider research while working along side PhD students/academics across STEM. Some of these experiences are captured as blog posts- Read most recent post here and previous blogs (e.g. Coding ocean properties; Fishing in the Atlantic; Mud and monsoon; Supporting a Nuffield research student; Searching for diamonds in the rough)

Also, I host undergraduate placement research experience students between June-September supported by NERC/UKRI (read Owen Drabwell's experience in 2019).

External collaborations

Ongoing collaborative projects

Firoze Quamar (BSIP, India), Ramananda Chakraborty (IISc, India), Sambuddha Mishra (IISc, Bangalore, India), P D Naidu (NIO, India)

Kate Litter (Exeter University), Melanie Leng (BGS, UK)

Clara Bolton (CEREG, France), Oscar E. Romero (University of Bremen), Ed Hathorne (GEOMAR, Germany)

Marci Robinson (USGS), Priyank Jaiswal (USA), Steve Clemens (Brown University), Maureen Conte (BIOS, Bermuda)

International links

Scientific community service

Co-chair of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee of the European Association of Geochemistry (2023- )
Co-chair of the UK Palaeoclimate Society (2022 - )
'Advocate for the Earth and Space Scince (ESS) in Global and domestic policies task team (AGU - Advancing Earth and Space Science) - (2022 - )
'Deep Dive' Focus Group on Marine and Polar Scientific Support and Facilities (S&F)- NERC - (2022)
National Environmental Research Council - NERC Advisory Network - (2022 - 23)
Editorial board - Associate Editor of Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology (2021- 2023)
National Environmental Insotope Facilities (NEIF) Peer review (Panel C) (2021-)
Member of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committees of Euopean Association of Geochemistry and Geochemical Society (2020- 2022)

Geochemical Society and EAG Townhall/panel discussion meetings: promoting EDI in geochemistry | mentoring | covid 19 impacts |

Committee member of the UK Palaeoclimate Society (2020 - 2022)
NERC standard grant moderating panel member (2020-21)

Conference organisation

Organising Committee member of International Conference on Paleoceanography 2025 (15^th ICP) (Bengaluru, India) - 31^stAugust to 5^th September 2025

Member of the Science committee for Chapman conference (AGU) - 5^th to 9^th January 2020 (Washington DC, USA)

International co-ordinator of Monsoon theme at 36^th International Geological Congress - 2020 (New Delhi, India)

Convener of Monsoon session for Goldschmidt Conferences (2017, 2018)

Projects

Understanding the Impact of Recent Ocean Acidification on Bio-Calcification (SE-10-139-PA)

The rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since the industrial revolution has been unprecedented. Over the last two decades, only half of the carbon dioxide (CO2) released by anthropogenic activities has remained in the atmosphere and about one third has been taken up by the oceans. Knowledge about the impact of recent rises in atmospheric CO2 on our ocean is growing through recently funded national and international programmes on Ocean Acidification but by no means complete. The proposed project will provide insights into the impact of such changes on marine calcifying planktons (planktonic foraminifer) for more than two decades and will be compared with the pre-industrial sediment sample. The proposed project will involve shell mass and geochemical investigations of planktonic foraminifer shells from sediment trap time series and surface scrape sample available from the Ocean Flux Program (1984-2009) in the NW Atlantic Ocean (31degree 50'N, 64degree10'W). The project will focus on two main areas: (1) how the recent rise in anthropogenic CO2 has impacted on bio-calcification (e.g., in this case planktonic foraminifer) in terms of changes in size normalized shell mass, species size (diameter, area and maximum and minimum length for some species) and species abundance compositions for different species: this will involve study of planktonic foraminifera from sediment trap time series (1984-2009) and surface scrape sediment obtained during early part of the time series sampling. In addition, additional sea floor surface sediment will be collected during the project (contacts through internship) (2) additional geochemical proxies (trace element/Ca ratios) for surface water temperature, carbonate ion and seawater pH will be calibrated using surface dwelling planktonic species. The additional environmental parameters will provide data to constrain the factors influencing shell mass and size in planktonic foraminifera. In order to address the outlined area of research, the changes in flux and size normalised shell mass will be investigated on seasonal and temporal scale and will be compared with average seawater carbonate system and environmental parameters measured at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series Study (31degree 43'N, 64degree10'W) and Hydrostation 'S' (32degree 50'N, 64degree 10'W) sites during the sediment trap sample collection.

Evaluating diversity and inclusion within the (geochemistry) academic ladder (E-DIAL)

This project (E-DIAL) will provide a snapshot of diversity in the UK’s geochemistry community, through an intersectional lens, with emphasis on the HEI academic ladder. As a multi-faceted discipline, geochemistry is central to Earth and environmental science. However, no specific workforce data exists with which to motivate or evaluate policies to tackle under-representation of minoritised groups. Our approach is only possible through timely collaboration of social scientists with serving members of a committee of the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG). Geochemistry community data, collected through an EAG survey, will be the first of its kind. Alongside, we will evidence past and recent rates of appointment, progression, and retention of under-represented groups across all levels of seniority within UK HEIs. In profiling the career pipeline(s) of geochemists and evidencing lived experiences, understanding will be built to inform prevailing policies, attitudes, and practice while assessing the effectiveness of policies at institutions with, e.g., differing Athena Swan certifications. Findings will test the hypothesis that “there is an erosion of diversity within geochemistry careers”. Project results will be disseminated via publication, institutional seminars, conference presentations/networking, panel discussions and a NERC knowledge exchange virtual event; raising awareness and stimulating people at all educational stages to prompt wider participation. E-DIAL investigators interact at higher organisational levels and may submit evidence to inform the next All-Party Parliamentary Group report on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM. Hence, informing and shaping policy change to achieve improved diversity and inclusion while establishing practice for continued institutional level monitoring.

Integrating technological solutions to modernise the study and assessment of coral reefs

PhD project looking at technological solutions to mapping and monitoring coral reef fish populations

Reconstructing South Atlantic Ocean Circulation changes across the Eocene-Palaeocene

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is a key component of the modern global ocean circulation, distributing heat, salt, and biologically essential nutrients globally, and exerting a fundamental influence on global climate. Yet, we have very limited understanding how unstable the AMOC will be in the future. To tackle this uncertainty, the climatic warmth of the Eocene-Paleocene offers an opportunity to improve our understanding of ocean circulation under acute warmth. Therefore, this project plans to generate records of South Atlantic Ocean circulation through the Eocene-Palaeocene using a coupled-proxy approach of isotopes of neodymium (εNd) and carbon (δ13C) benthic records.

CENTA 2017 intake

NERC Doctoral Training Partnerships

CENTA is a geographically and scientifically coherent consortium offering a wide range of excellent NERC science embedded in a vibrant multidisciplinary environment. The Universities (Birmingham, Leicester, Loughborough, Open and Warwick) and Institutes (British Geological Survey and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology) have a strong track record of producing PhD graduates fit for further research or other relevant employment. We will advance PhD training significantly by offering broad and holistic educational opportunities in the environmental sciences, including innovative approaches to cohort training, supported by the Open University’s Virtual Research Environment learning platform. Where we offer leading national capability, we will offer training to other NERC consortia in addition to CENTA students. We are match-funding this bid for 20 studentships annually.CENTA defines its four areas of science excellence as follows: 1) Anthropogenic impacts and environmental sustainability. 2) Evolution of organisms and ecosystems. 3) Dynamic Earth. 4) Organisms.

Reconstruction of changes in Indian Summer Monsoon precipitation

The Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM, a subsystem of Asian Monsoon) is a classic example of coupling between the solid Earth, ocean and atmospheric processes. The intensity of the ISM is due to anomalous heating of the troposphere over central Asia. This results in the formation of a low-pressure system that draws moist air from the surrounding oceans, and in turn results in intense precipitation across Indochina and south Asia, impacting billions of people. The intensity of this low-pressure system over the Asian continent and in turn, the summer monsoon precipitation intensity, is directly linked to the regional tectonic evolution of present day Asia [1]. This has been the case since the initial collision of India and Asia during the Cenozoic, around 50 Ma [2]. An interesting question on tectonic time-scales (i.e., >1 million years) therefore, is how summer monsoon precipitation varied over past climate extremes (e.g., glacial-interglacial during the Pliocene) and how this in turn affected continental erosion and consequently altered tectonic activity rates (i.e. exhumation and uplift) in the Himalaya and Tibet. The understanding of the variability of ISM precipitation due to climate-modulated processes in controlling tectonic evolution will be a step forward in understanding future changes in ISM precipitation. This study will therefore focus on investigating ISM precipitation variability since the Pliocene, providing a formidable analogue for future climate predictions [3]. This project aims to quantify change in terrestrial input due to the summer monsoon runoff strength. It will utilise newly drilled (International Ocean Discovery Programme Expedition 353) sedimentary sequences from the Andaman Sea (site U1448), one of the core regions of ISM precipitation and runoff, and site receives continental runoff during the ISM from the Irrawaddy and Salween rivers. The project involves: 1) Determination of elemental composition of bulk sediment from IODP site U1448 using portable X-Ray Fluorescence technique. New records of elemental concentration and ratios will be generated to understand changes in terrestrial input derived from monsoon runoff. 2) Reconstruction of total organic carbon and carbon isotopic composition of organic carbon variability to assess changes in organic carbon input from C3 versus C4 plants due to change in continental vegetation. 3) Quantification of variability of terrigenous input and total carbonate fraction during glacial-interglacial and the Pliocene.

How has recent ocean acidification affected the biocalcification and ecology of planktonic foraminifera?

This project aims to monitor the biological impact of recent Ocean Acidification (OA) by assessing changes in modern planktonic foraminifera (PF) flux and shell calcification. This project utilises a bi-weekly sediment trap time series (Ocean Flux Program) to quantify seasonal and interannual changes in PF flux, calcification and trace element incorporation in relation to physical and chemical oceanographic changes. These developed proxies will be utilised to constrain the changes in shell calcification and seawater chemistry in the past century (due to anthropogenic OA) and over glacial-interglacial timescales.

Indian Summer Monsoon: initiation and evolution to current strength

The Asian Monsoon is one of the best examples of coupling between solid Earth and atmospheric processes but its initiation and evolution over tectonic (million years) time scales are poorly understood. The key question that this project will address is when did the present strength of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) (a subsystem of the Asian Summer Monsoon) occur? This project will primarily utilise newly drilled continuous sedimentary successions from the Bay of Bengal (IODP Expedition 353) to reconstruct tectonic scale changes in (a) sea surface temperature (Mg/Ca in planktonic foraminifera) and sea surface salinity (d18O seawater from coupled d18O and Mg/Ca of planktonic foraminifera) (b) erosional strength (Al/Si) and continental flux variation as a result of monsoon runoff. The obtained multi-proxy data will provide insights into the initiation and evolution of ISM precipitation/runoff in the past and to its current strength.

Publications

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Biography
Projects
Publications

Professor Pallavi Anand

Biography

Professional biography

Research contribution highlights

Pivotal moment for humanity as threats and opportunities from climate tipping points accelrates

The Global Tipping Points Report 2023 is out.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

(Image copyright: Pallavi Anand)

NERC funded diversity and inclusion EDI enrichment project (2021-22)

Evaluating diversity and inclusion within the (geochemistry) academic ladder (E-DIAL)

Research interests

PhD projects 2025

Postgraduate Research Support

Current PhD research projects

External PhD examinations (Panel/Committee)

Teaching interests

Impact and engagement

Nuffield research palecement (2009 - )

External collaborations

Ongoing collaborative projects

International links

Scientific community service

Conference organisation

Projects

Publications

Digital Artefact

Journal Article

Other

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