Sam Giles wins L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science fellowship

Congratulations to Dr Sam Giles (St Hugh’s 2011) on her 2016 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science fellowship, in recognition of her achievements as one of the UK’s most promising female scientists.

Sam is a paleobiologist who is using x-ray tomography to study the evolution of the brain and its surrounding bone structure in ray-finned fishes, the largest living group of vertebrates, containing over 30,000 species. By comparing the brains of modern fish with 3D reconstructions of their ancestors, the research will help understand how the evolution of the brain contributed to the success of this group, with significant ramifications for understanding rates of gene mutation and evolutionary change. Sam became a Junior Research Fellow at ChristChurch College after completing her DPhil in 2015.

For more information on the awards, and the winners, take a look at their website: www.womeninscience.co.uk/news/2016-winners. Professor Tamsin Mather is a past award-holder from 2008.