Summary
Dr Anna Bird is a Reader in Earth Science at the University of Hull and an internationally recognized expert in geochemistry and geochronology. Her research spans from decoding mountain-building in the Scottish Highlands to tracing dust origins across China and Africa, tackling questions at the intersection of tectonics, climate, and sediment provenance. As Director of the HULAMS Laboratory, she pioneers innovative analytical methods—such as in situ Rb-Sr dating—and leads interdisciplinary collaborations across Earth and environmental sciences. A proven research leader with a strong track record of NERC and industry funding, she’s passionate about making science accessible—whether mentoring early-career researchers, leading transformative field teaching, or speaking at public science festivals.
I am currently the Programme Director for the Earth Science and Earth and Environmental Science programmes, including all their variants (study abroad and year in industry). I teach across all levels of the programmes and also on the Geography programmes. Currently I module lead the Earth Science Dissertation module and Igneous and Metamorphic rocks, as well as teaching on modules like Geoscience Fieldcourse and Sedimentology.
I love teaching in the field and lead fieldcourse to UK locations like the Isle of Skye, the Lake District and overseas locations like SE Spain.
Journal Article
Provenance of late Pleistocene loess in central and eastern Europe: isotopic evidence for dominant local sediment sources
Fenn, K., Millar, I. L., Bird, A., Veres, D., & Wagner, D. (2025). Provenance of late Pleistocene loess in central and eastern Europe: isotopic evidence for dominant local sediment sources. Scientific reports, 15(1), Article 1624. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83698-5
Ikaite formation in streams affected by steel waste leachate: First report and potential impact on contaminant dynamics
Bastianini, L., Rogerson, M., Brasier, A., Prior, T. J., Hardman, K., Dempsey, E., Bird, A., & Mayes, W. M. (2024). Ikaite formation in streams affected by steel waste leachate: First report and potential impact on contaminant dynamics. Chemical Geology, 644, Article 121842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2023.121842
Eclogites and basement terrane tectonics in the northern arm of the Grenville orogen, NW Scotland
Bird, A., Thirlwall, M., Strachan, R. A., Millar, I. L., Dempsey, E. D., & Hardman, K. (2023). Eclogites and basement terrane tectonics in the northern arm of the Grenville orogen, NW Scotland. Geoscience Frontiers, 14(6), Article 101668. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2023.101668
Older than you think: using U–Pb calcite geochronology to better constrain basin-bounding fault reactivation, Inner Moray Firth Basin, western North Sea
Tamas, A., Holdsworth, R. E., Tamas, D. M., Dempsey, E. D., Hardman, K., Bird, A., Roberts, N. M., Lee, J., Underhill, J. R., McCarthy, D., McCaffrey, K. J., & Selby, D. (2023). Older than you think: using U–Pb calcite geochronology to better constrain basin-bounding fault reactivation, Inner Moray Firth Basin, western North Sea. Journal of the Geological Society, 180(5), Article jgs2022-166. https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2022-166
Strike-slip influenced stratigraphic and structural development of the Foula Sandstone Group, Shetland: implications for offshore Devonian basin development on the northern UK continental shelf
Utley, T. A., Holdsworth, R. E., Blackbourn, G. A., Dempsey, E., Strachan, R. A., McCaffrey, K. J., Morton, A. C., Bird, A. F., Jones, R. R., Saßnowski, A., & Walker, R. J. (2023). Strike-slip influenced stratigraphic and structural development of the Foula Sandstone Group, Shetland: implications for offshore Devonian basin development on the northern UK continental shelf. Journal of the Geological Society, 180(3), Article jgs2022-148. https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2022-148
Research interests
I use geochemistry and geochronology along with field observations to establish timing(s) of orogenic events and the provenance of sediments. My research interests are broad and I like to look at lots of different earth science problems. I run Hull University's Laser Ablation and Mass Spectrometry Lab, https://hulams.wordpress.com/ and work on samples that range from biological, to geological to engineered materials.
For my own research projects, I have worked materials from all over the Highlands of Scotland and Shetland to better constrain the timing of mountain building events by dating minerals like garnet, mica, monazite and zircon. I have also dated later faulting events by dating calcite fault-fill.
Lots of my work is around establishing the provenance of palaeo-dust (loess) from China, Africa and Europe to evaluate the interplay between tectonics and climate on sediment deposition and provenance. The big output from this work is to relate dust source and transport to atmospheric circulation.
Lead investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
When and Why does it Rain in the Desert: Utilising unique speleothem and dust records on the northern edge of the Sahara
Funder
NERC Natural Environment Research Council
Grant
£44,368.00
Started
19 April 2022
Status
Ongoing
Project
CEFAS23-137 LA-ICP-MS analysis on Fish Otoliths
Funder
Cefas Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Grant
£30,798.00
Started
30 November 2023
Status
Ongoing
Project
Analysing the mobility of metals and Rare Earth Elements during deformation in calcite within the Flamborough Head Fault Zone
Funder
Yorkshire geological society
Grant
£1,000.00
Started
1 September 2020
Status
Complete
Co-investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Barcoding Magmas: applying machine learning in zircon geochemistry to increase provenance accuracy
Funder
NERC Natural Environment Research Council
Grant
£48,910.00
Started
1 November 2022
Status
Complete