Where The Magic Happens
Current Serving YGS Council Members
At the Yorkshire Geological Society, we pride ourselves on being diverse, friendly & inclusive. Below is a list of current YGS council members, once you know who we are, come & say hello when you see us at events (or even in the street!).
Rebecca Bennion| Council Member
I grew up in Whitby, arguably one of the best places in the world for a young palaeontologist to call home. I had a great love of the natural world from a young age and went on to do a BA in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, where I combined geology and zoology modules. I ultimately specialised in zoology as I was offered an excellent research project in the department with the late great Prof. Jenny Clack on early Carboniferous fish and sharks. Following this I did my Masters at the University of Southampton on the ecology of ichthyosaurs from Lyme Regis, then spent a year working as a boarding school assistant in Sussex.
I did my PhD in Belgium at the University of Liège and the Royl Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, looking at convergence in skull ecology and morphology between ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs, and cetaceans. I first got involved with the Yorkshire Geological Society in 2018 after winning the Fearnsides Award which funded a short trip to 3D scan ichthyosaur skulls in Germany – including the enormous one in my bio picture!
My research interests lie in the evolution of marine vertebrates and ecosystems, as well as 3D scanning and palaeontological heritage. I am also passionate about increasing diversity in the sciences and have been heavily involved in a number of student support initiatives (for disabled and international students, as well as mental health support).
Together with friends I run Fossils in t’Hills, a fossil outreach group working alongside museums and schools to raise awareness of Yorkshire’s incredible geological heritage. I have worked as a freelancer for several museums in Northern England, including the Yorkshire Museum, Whitby Museum, and Gallery Oldham, and I recently started a new full-time job at the Folly Museum in Settle working to increase community engagement with collections.
