Dr Vince Williams Postgraduate Researcher

Contact Details University of Leicester, Department of Geology, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK, Tel: +44 (0)116 252 3936 Fax: +44 (0)116 252 3918 email: vw13@le.ac.uk

About

I studied for my M.Geol Geology at the University of Leicester and graduated with a 1st in 2004. The course involved a wide range of compulsory geological modules but allowed me to focus on palaeobiology and evolution via the optional modules. My 3rd year dissertation investigated the affinities of Yunnanozoon and the evolution of vertebrates. The 4th year gave freedom for independent research and my 4th year project involved a detailed study of the ostracod colonisation of Rutland water (a 27 year old man made lake near Leicester).  

I am currently making post viva minor corrections to my PhD thesis.

Research Interests

My thesis involves the analysis of tooth microwear in ornithischian dinosaurs, paralleled with a study of diet induced microware changes in extant reptiles. It is anticipated that microwear patterns will show how tooth moved against tooth within an animals jaw, upon what that animal fed and how the food was processed. Further lines of investigation include linking changes in diet to the evolution of jaw mechanics and linking the angiosperm radiation to the adaptation to herbivory in dinosaurs. Changes in tooth microwear over time may also allow a more accurate mapping of ornithopod phylogeny along with the identification of any niche partitioning.

Supervisors

Prof. Mark Purnell , Dr. Sarah Gabbott (Leicester) and Dr. Paul M. Barrett (NHM).

Demonstrating 2005 to 2009

• 2nd year Aspects of Palaeontology (Dr. Sarah Gabbott)
• 1st year Sedimentary World (Dr. Sarah J. Davies)
• 2nd year Depositional Environments (Dr. Sarah J. Davies)
• 1st year Geological Maps & Structures (Dr. Mike J. Branney)
• 2nd year Dynamic Lithosphere (Dr. Ian A. Hill)
• 1st year Dynamic Earth (Prof. Andy D. Saunders)
• 2nd year Magmatic & Metamorphic Processes (Prof. Andy D. Saunders)
• 2nd year iScience Evolution (Alex Mack)

• 1st year Arran Field Course 2005, 2006 & 2007 (Prof. Andy D. Saunders)
• 2nd year Spain Field Course 2006 (Prof. Andy D. Saunders)

Teaching

• 2nd year Aspects of Palaeontology 2006 (Dr. Sarah Gabbott)
• 1st year Arran Field Course 2008 (Prof. Andy D. Saunders)

Schools TA

• A2 Lake District Field Course - Greenhead College 2008 (Dr. Victoria Hopgood)
• AS Arran & A2 Lake District Field Courses - Greenhead College 2009 (Dr. Victoria Hopgood)
• AS Tenby & A2 Lake District Field Course - Greenhead College 2010 (Dr. Victoria Hopgood)
• AS Tenby Field Course - Greenhead College 2011 (Dr. Victoria Hopgood)

Recent Publications

Williams, V.S. and Doyle, A. 2010 Cleaning fossil tooth surfaces for microwear analysis: use of solvent gels to remove resistant consolidant. Palaeontologia Electronica. Vol 13,Issue 3,2T:12p Palaeo-electronica

Williams, V.S., Barrett, P.M. and Purnell, M.A. 2009 Quantitative analysis of dental microwear in hadrosaurid dinosaurs (Ornithischia: Ornithopoda), and its implications for hypotheses of jaw mechanics and diet. PNAS. 106:27:p11196-11199 PNAS

Williams, V. and Purnell, M. 2008 Duck-billed dentistry: evidence for hadrosaur diet from tooth microwear. Transactions of The Leicester Literary & Philosophical Society. 102:p58-59 Leicester Lit & Phil Society

Williams, V., Purnell, M., Gabbott, S. 2006 Dental microwear in dinosaurs: a comparative analysis of polysiloxane replication. Dental Practice. 44:3:p22-23 [Download]