Current officers

Meet the current-officers (Board Members and Ex-Officios), of AASP - The Palynological Society. 

By the way, the board meetings at each Annual Meeting of AASP - The Palynological Society are public. Consider joining as an observer, to better understand what is going on. Additionally, the Board will give a brief report on updates and current business matters (financials, journal statistics, etc.) at the Business Luncheon at each Annual Meeting.

As of September 2024 we will be looking forward for a new Director-at-Large. If you are interested in the job, please contact our secretary.

While the tenure of most officers of of AASP - The Palynological Society is 2-years, the secretary, treasurer and managing editor are elected yearly. 

President

Sophie Warny is one of our current-officers of AASP - The Palynological Society

The President manages and coordinates all affairs of AASP -The Palynolgical Society.


Sophie Warny | President 2023-2025 | CENEX Director, AASP Chair, Professor of Palynology & Curator, Louisiana State University (USA)


    • PhD 1999, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
    • Mesozoic to Recent palynology, stratigraphy, energy & melissopalynology
    • Main work: palynostratigraphy, paleoclimatology &  paleoecology from Antarctica, Africa, North America, and Europe

President-elect

Matthew Pound is the new President-elect of AASP - The Palynological Society

The President- elect shadows the president for a year, to be tuned in when taking over the position as president of AASP - The Palynological Society.


Matthew Pound | Pres.-elect 2024-2025 |  Northumbria University, Newcastle ( UK), Associate Professor in Physical Geography & Environmental Science


  • PhD 2013 University of Leeds and British Geological Survey
  • Cenozoic palynology and melissopalynology
  • Main work: palaeoclimates, palaeoenvironments, and global data syntheses

Secretary

Stephen Stukins the secretary of AASP - The Palynological Society

The secretary is probably your first contact, when getting in touch with us. Contact the secretary, if you have questions about membership of The Palynolgical Society for example.


Stephen Stukins Secretary 2024-2025 | Senior Curator of Micropalaeontology, Natural History Museum, London, UK


  • Ph.D. 2011, University of Aberdeen, UK
  • Mesozoic palynology and palaeoecology; emphasis on event stratigraphy
  • Main work: Mesozoic micropaleontology and collection-based research

Treasurer

Vladimir Torres Torres is the treasurer of AASP - The Palynological Society

The treasurer is handling society's financials and typically situated in Houston. For example, when receiving an award (e.g. student research or student travel award) the treasurer sends you the money.


Vladimir Torres Torres | Treasurer 2024-2025 |Bio-/Stratigrapher, ExxonMobil Upstream, Houston (USA)


  • Ph.D. 2006, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Cretaceous–Cenozoic palynology, emphasis on tropical vegetation & Cretaceous dinos
  • Main work: improving stratigraphic frameworks and interpreting depositional environments of clastic rocks in South America

Directors-at-Large

The Directors-at-Large support the Board of AASP - The Palynological Society on all actions points that are coming up. 


  • These usually include short-termed or immediate tasks that need to be dealt with.

Alex Wheeler, Director-at-Lrge of AASP
  • Alex Wheeler |
    Board Member 
    2023-2025 
    | Post-doc, Leibniz University Hannover (Germany)


    • Ph.D. 2021, The University of Queensland, Australia
    • Palaeozoic palynology; emphasis on coal as a climate archive; multiproxy stratigraphy in terrestrial environments
    • Main work: Palaeoenvironmental controls on vegetation dynamics in Australia during the end-Permian mass extinction

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  • Paula Narvaez |
    Board Member 
    2024-2026 
    | Instituto Argentino de Nivologica, Glaciologia y Ciencias Ambientales, Mendoza (Argentina)


    • Ph.D. 2009, National University of Cuyo, Mendoza Argentina
    • Mesozoic and Cenozoic palynology with emphasis in terrestrial assemblages
    • Main work: Palynostratigraphy, paleoenvironment, and paleoclimate from northern Argentina

  • Student
    Director-at-Large

    Shaan Heydenrych, Student Director of AASP

    The Studen DaL is representing the student's interests on the Board of The Palynological Society and organizes student events at the Annual Meetings (e.g. the Early Career Lunch or mentoring events)

    Shaan Hydenrych | Board Member 2024-2026 | PhD Student, University of Aberdeen (UK)

    Managing Editor of Palynology

    James Riding Managing Editor of the Journal Palynylogy published on behalf of AASP - The Palynological Society

    The Managing Editor is steering the journal Palynology, that is published on behalf of The Palynological Society.

    James Riding | Board Member 2024-2025 | Emeritus, British Geological Survey, Nottingham UK

    • Ph.D. 1986, University of Sheffield, UK
    • Mesozoic & Cenozoic palynology with emphasis on the Jurassic, Cretaceous & Miocene; dinoflagellates and their cysts; forensic palynology; history of palynology; plankton evolution; preparation techniques; provincialism
    • Main work: palynology of the Jurassic & Cretaceous of the world



    Ex-officio members

    Aside the current-officers mentioned above (Board Members), the ex-officio members of AASP - The Palynological Society assist the board without having a vote in board decisions. 


    WEBMASTER & WEBSITE CONTENT

    Fabienne Marret, University of Liverpool, UK
    Julia Gravendyck, University of Bonn, Germany


    NEWSLETTER EDITOR

    Jan Hennissen, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, UK


    GSA LIAISON

    Martin B. Farley, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, USA


    IFPS COUNCILLOR

    Sophie Warny, Louisiana State University, USA


    Standing Committees (2024-2025)


    AWARDS COMMITTEE

    The Awards committee deals with all awards-related affairs like accepting and reviewing nomination packages for professional awards of AASP - The Palynological Society, student travel awards and conducting the scoring of contributions eligible for student awards during the Annual Meeting. 

    Marie Thomas, Hess Corporation, Houston, USA (Chair)
    Annette E. Götz, Georg-August Universität, Göttingen, Germany
    Jan Hennissen, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, UK


    NOMINATING COMMITTEE

    The Nominating committee is responsible for assuring nominations for Board positions and coordinates all related business (e.g. advertisement of positions in the Newsletter).

    Francisca Oboh Ikuenobe, Missouri University of Science & Technology, USA (Chair)
    Julia Gravendyck, University of Bonn, Germany
    Shaan Hydenrych, University of Aberdeen, UK


    BALLOT COMMITTEE

    The Ballot committee is conducts the formal elections of Board positions. 

    Martha Gibson, Petrostrat, UK (Chair)
    Vera Korasidis,
    University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
    Jan Hennissen, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, UK