Gervaise has joined CCMAR and will be with Cold Water Corals which are like the tropical ones but live in the deep sea. Welcome to the team!
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Tell us a bit about the work you’ll be doing at CCMAR.
I'm conducting an exciting project on past climate reconstruction alongside my supervisor Lelia Matos. I work with Cold Water Corals which are like the tropical ones but live in the deep sea! Specifically, I study Desmophyllum pertusum aka the most common species. It is a treasure trove for paleo reconstructions due to its remarkable longevity and easily recognizable morphology. Most of my work so far has been to explore how its temperature range has evolved over millennia and glacial periods in the Atlantic Ocean. To do so, we use two complementary approaches. One implies contemporary climatic models and the other past climate reconstructions using fossils.
What were you doing before you joined us?
Before coming here, I was doing an Erasmus Mundus master's in Marine Biology. It allowed me to study in many different countries like Belgium, Italy, and Sweden. The final semester of my master was a thesis that I conducted here in CCMAR, working with the Oceanography and climate change group. I am now pursuing my work on climate and corals in the framework of an Erasmus+ traineeship.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I have an infinite number of hobbies and am always looking to discover new ones. So far, I really enjoy sewing clothes, painting (or trying to), and embroidering random things on shirts. If you can’t find me anywhere, I’m usually at the beach.
