Sam Giles
{{short description|Paleontologist}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Sam Giles
| image = Sam Giles.jpg
| caption = Giles in 2017
| workplaces = University of Oxford
| alma_mater = University of Bristol (BSc)
University of Oxford (DPhil)
| doctoral_advisor = Matt Friedman
| fields = Actinopterygii
Acanthodii
Placodermi
Virtual Palaeontology
| thesis_title = How to build a bony vertebrate in evolutionary time
| awards = L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards (2017)
| website = https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/gees/giles-sam.aspx
| thesis_url = https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.711849
| thesis_year = 2015
}}
Sam Giles is a palaeobiologist and Professor in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Birmingham.{{Google Scholar id}}{{twitter}}{{EuropePMC|ORCID=0000-0001-9267-4392}} Her research combines modern imaging with fossils to understand the evolution of life, in particular that of early fish, and in 2015 "rewrote" the vertebrate family tree.{{Cite web|last=Callier|first=Viviane|date=2015-01-12|title=Ancient fossil may rewrite fish family tree|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/ancient-fossil-may-rewrite-fish-family-tree|access-date=2021-01-02|website=Science {{!}} AAAS|language=en}} She was a 2017 L'Oréal-UNESCO Rising Star and won the 2019 Geological Society of London Lyell Fund.
Early life and education
Giles studied geology at the University of Bristol, graduating in 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/staff/dr-sam-giles|title=Dr Sam Giles {{!}} Christ Church, Oxford University|website=chch.ox.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-29}} Giles completed her doctor of philosophy at the University of Oxford in 2015,{{cite thesis|degree=DPhil|publisher=University of Oxford|url=https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:1df4ba59-c709-4e3c-99c0-b49d1132743f|title=How to build a bony vertebrate in evolutionary time|first= Sam|last=Giles|date=2015|id={{EThOS|uk.bl.ethos.711849}}|website=ora.ox.ac.uk|oclc=946068637}} where she was a member of St Hugh's College.{{Cite news|url=https://www.st-hughs.ox.ac.uk/dr-sam-giles-wins-loreal-unesco-women-science-fellowship/|title=Dr Sam Giles wins L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Fellowship {{!}} St Hugh's College, Oxford|date=2016-11-02|work=St Hugh's College, Oxford|access-date=2018-09-29|language=en-GB}} She worked with Matt Friedman on early ray-finned fishes.{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Friedman|first2=Matt|year=2014|title=Virtual reconstruction of endocast anatomy in early ray-finned fishes (Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii)|journal=Journal of Paleontology|language=en-US|volume=88|issue=4|pages=636–651|doi=10.1666/13-094|bibcode=2014JPal...88..636G |s2cid=85928959|issn=0022-3360}}
Career and research
In 2015, Giles was appointed a junior research fellow at Christ Church, Oxford. Giles was awarded a L'Oréal-UNESCO fellowship in 2016, which would allow her to study the anatomy of vertebrate's brains.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/news/research-and-academia/dr-sam-giles-awarded-2017-l%E2%80%99oreal-unesco-international-rising-talent|title=Dr Sam Giles Awarded 2017 L'Oreal-UNESCO International Rising Talent Fellowship {{!}} Christ Church, Oxford University|website=chch.ox.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-29}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/science-blog/two-oxford-scientists-selected-women-science-fellowships-0|title=Two Oxford scientists selected for 'Women in Science' Fellowships {{!}} University of Oxford|website=ox.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-29}} In 2017, Giles was awarded a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship to study the evolution of the Actinopterygii, otherwise known as ray-finned fishes, which comprise more than half of all living vertebrates.{{Cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/sam-giles-13524/|title=Sam Giles |publisher=Royal Society|location=London|website=royalsociety.org|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-09-29}}{{Cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2018/12/royal-society-announces-dorothy-hodgkin-fellows-for-2017/|title=Royal Society announces Dorothy Hodgkin Fellows for 2017 {{!}} Royal Society|website=royalsociety.org|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-09-29}} In 2018, she joined the School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham as a member of academic staff.{{Cite web|title=Sam Giles|url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/gees/giles-sam.aspx|access-date=2021-01-02|website=University of Birmingham|language=en-GB}}
Giles uses x-ray tomography to study the bone structure of Actinopterygii and is one of the leading experts on the evolutionary relationships and adaptations of early fish. In particular, she has been involved in research related to the origin of gnathostomes, or jawed vertebrates, and the relationships of early fishes, including various extinct groups such as placoderms and the divergence of chondrichthyans (cartilaginous fish) and osteichthyans (bony fish).{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Friedman|first2=Matt|last3=Brazeau|first3=Martin D.|date=2015|title=Osteichthyan-like cranial conditions in an Early Devonian stem gnathostome|journal=Nature|language=En|volume=520|issue=7545|pages=82–85|doi=10.1038/nature14065|pmid=25581798|pmc=5536226|bibcode=2015Natur.520...82G|issn=0028-0836}}{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Rücklin|first2=Martin|last3=Donoghue|first3=Philip C.J.|date=2013-02-02|title=Histology of "placoderm" dermal skeletons: Implications for the nature of the ancestral gnathostome|journal=Journal of Morphology|volume=274|issue=6|pages=627–644|doi=10.1002/jmor.20119|pmid=23378262|pmc=5176033|issn=0362-2525|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Xu|first2=Guang-Hui|last3=Near|first3=Thomas J.|last4=Friedman|first4=Matt|date=2017|title=Early members of 'living fossil' lineage imply later origin of modern ray-finned fishes|url=http://pure-oai.bham.ac.uk/ws/files/54676230/Main_Text_FINAL_UPLOADED.pdf|journal=Nature|language=En|volume=549|issue=7671|pages=265–268|doi=10.1038/nature23654|issn=0028-0836|pmid=28854173|bibcode=2017Natur.549..265G|s2cid=205259531}} She has also published on the early evolution of the dermal skeleton.{{Cite journal|last1=Rücklin|first1=Martin|last2=Giles|first2=Sam|last3=Janvier|first3=Philippe|last4=Donoghue|first4=Philip C. J.|date=2011-11-01|title=Teeth before jaws? Comparative analysis of the structure and development of the external and internal scales in the extinct jawless vertebrate Loganellia scotica|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-142x.2011.00508.x|journal=Evolution & Development|volume=13|issue=6|pages=523–532|doi=10.1111/j.1525-142x.2011.00508.x|pmid=23016936|s2cid=44472846|issn=1520-541X|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite journal|last1=Brazeau|first1=Martin D.|last2=Giles|first2=Sam|last3=Dearden|first3=Richard P.|last4=Jerve|first4=Anna|last5=Ariunchimeg|first5=Ya.|last6=Zorig|first6=E.|last7=Sansom|first7=Robert|last8=Guillerme|first8=Thomas|last9=Castiello|first9=Marco|date=2020-09-07|title=Endochondral bone in an Early Devonian 'placoderm' from Mongolia|url=http://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-020-01290-2|journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution|language=en|volume=4|issue=11|pages=1477–1484|doi=10.1038/s41559-020-01290-2|pmid=32895518|bibcode=2020NatEE...4.1477B |s2cid=219604251 |issn=2397-334X|hdl=10044/1/82739|hdl-access=free|url-access=subscription}} A foundational component of her work is the use of computed tomography (CT) scanning in order to study the internal anatomy of fossils{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Coates|first2=Michael I.|last3=Garwood|first3=Russell J.|last4=Brazeau|first4=Martin D.|last5=Atwood|first5=Robert|last6=Johanson|first6=Zerina|last7=Friedman|first7=Matt|date=2015|title=Endoskeletal structure inCheirolepis(Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii), An early ray-finned fish|journal=Palaeontology|language=en|volume=58|issue=5|pages=849–870|doi=10.1111/pala.12182|issn=0031-0239|pmc=4950109|pmid=27478252}}{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Darras|first2=Laurent|last3=Clément|first3=Gaël|last4=Blieck|first4=Alain|last5=Friedman|first5=Matt|date=2015|title=An exceptionally preserved Late Devonian actinopterygian provides a new model for primitive cranial anatomy in ray-finned fishes|journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B|language=en|volume=282|issue=1816|pages=20151485|doi=10.1098/rspb.2015.1485|issn=0962-8452|pmc=4614771|pmid=26423841}}{{Cite journal|last1=Argyriou|first1=Thodoris|last2=Giles|first2=Sam|last3=Friedman|first3=Matt|last4=Romano|first4=Carlo|last5=Kogan|first5=Ilja|last6=Sánchez-Villagra|first6=Marcelo R.|date=2018-11-01|title=Internal cranial anatomy of Early Triassic species of †Saurichthys (Actinopterygii: †Saurichthyiformes): implications for the phylogenetic placement of †saurichthyiforms|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|volume=18|issue=1|page=161|doi=10.1186/s12862-018-1264-4|pmid=30382811|pmc=6211452|bibcode=2018BMCEE..18..161A |issn=1471-2148|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal|last1=Dobson|first1=Claire|last2=Giles|first2=Sam|last3=Johanson|first3=Zerina|last4=Liston|first4=Jeff|last5=Friedman|first5=Matt|date=2019-09-03|title=Cranial osteology of the Middle Jurassic (Callovian) Martillichthys renwickae (Neopterygii, Pachycormiformes) with comments on the evolution and ecology of edentulous pachycormiforms|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1276|journal=Papers in Palaeontology|volume=7|pages=111–136|doi=10.1002/spp2.1276|hdl=2027.42/167090 |s2cid=202919395 |issn=2056-2802|hdl-access=free}} and to reconstruct the soft tissue structures that are not directly preserved.{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Rogers|first2=Molly|last3=Friedman|first3=Matt|date=2016-05-10|title=Bony labyrinth morphology in early neopterygian fishes (Actinopterygii: Neopterygii)|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmor.20551|journal=Journal of Morphology|volume=279|issue=4|pages=426–440|doi=10.1002/jmor.20551|pmid=27165962|s2cid=3867139|issn=0362-2525|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Friedman|first2=Matt|date=2014-07-15|title=Virtual reconstruction of endocast anatomy in early ray-finned fishes (Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii)|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1666/13-094|journal=Journal of Paleontology|volume=88|issue=4|pages=636–651|doi=10.1666/13-094|bibcode=2014JPal...88..636G |s2cid=85928959|issn=0022-3360|url-access=subscription}} Giles is also a major contributor to research relating to equitable practices in academia{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Jackson|first2=Chris|last3=Stephen|first3=Natasha|date=2020-01-21|title=Barriers to fieldwork in undergraduate geoscience degrees|journal=Nature Reviews Earth & Environment|language=en|volume=1|issue=2|pages=77–78|doi=10.1038/s43017-020-0022-5|bibcode=2020NRvEE...1...77G|issn=2662-138X|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Greene|first2=Sarah|last3=Ashey|first3=Kate|last4=Dunne|first4=Emma|last5=Edgar|first5=Kirsty|last6=Hanson|first6=Emma|date=2020-05-01|title=Getting the basics right: a field-teaching primer on toilet stops in the field|journal=22nd EGU General Assembly|pages=11723|doi=10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-11723 |bibcode=2020EGUGA..2211723G |doi-access= free}} and paleontology.{{Cite journal|last1=Giles|first1=Sam|last2=Warnock|first2=Rachel|last3=Dunne|first3=Emma|last4=Saupe|first4=Erin|last5=Soul|first5=Laura|last6=Lloyd|first6=Graeme|date=2020-05-01|title=Are we reaching gender parity among Palaeontology authors?|journal=22nd EGU General Assembly|pages=11767|doi=10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-11767 |bibcode=2020EGUGA..2211767G |doi-access=free }} Giles' research has been published in leading scientific journals, including Nature, eLife,{{Cite journal|last1=Clement|first1=Alice M|last2=King|first2=Benedict|last3=Giles|first3=Sam|last4=Choo|first4=Brian|last5=Ahlberg|first5=Per E|last6=Young|first6=Gavin C|last7=Long|first7=John A|date=2018|title=Neurocranial anatomy of an enigmatic Early Devonian fish sheds light on early osteichthyan evolution|journal=eLife|language=en|volume=7|doi=10.7554/eLife.34349|issn=2050-084X|pmc=5973833|pmid=29807569 |doi-access=free }} Current Biology,{{Cite journal|last1=Lu|first1=Jing|last2=Giles|first2=Sam|last3=Friedman|first3=Matt|last4=den Blaauwen|first4=Jan L.|last5=Zhu|first5=Min|year=2016|title=The Oldest Actinopterygian Highlights the Cryptic Early History of the Hyperdiverse Ray-Finned Fishes|journal=Current Biology|language=en|volume=26|issue=12|pages=1602–1608|doi=10.1016/j.cub.2016.04.045|issn=0960-9822|pmid=27212403|doi-access=free}} and Proceedings of the Royal Society B and has been covered by numerous media outlets.{{Cite news|date=2015-01-13|title=Ancient 420-million-year-old fossil hints of bony fish and cartilaginous fish common ancestor|language=en-US|work=ZME Science|url=https://www.zmescience.com/research/discoveries/bony-cartilaginous-fish-common-ancestor-534643/|access-date=2018-09-29}}{{Cite news|title=Two-faced fish clue that our ancestors 'weren't shark-like'|language=en|work=ScienceDaily|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150112135525.htm|access-date=2018-09-29}}{{Cite news|title=Fossil fish reveals sharks lost bony armour early in their evolution {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|language=en-GB|work=Imperial News|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/163032/fossil-fish-reveals-sharks-lost-bony/|access-date=2018-09-29}}{{Cite news|title=Ancient fish skulls shake up the vertebrate evolutionary tree|language=en-us|work=Ars Technica|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/09/ancient-fish-skulls-shake-up-the-vertebrate-evolutionary-tree/|access-date=2018-09-29}}{{Cite news|date=2017-08-30|title=Shaking up the fish family tree: 'Living fossil' not as old as we thought|language=en-US|work=University of Michigan News|url=https://news.umich.edu/shaking-up-the-fish-family-tree-living-fossil-not-as-old-as-we-thought/|access-date=2018-09-29}} She has contributed to naming numerous new species of extinct fish, outlined below:
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Taxon !Authors |
| 2018
|Pickeringius acanthophorus sp. nov. |
| 2018
|Scopulipiscis saxciput gen. et sp. nov. |
| 2017
|Ptctolepis brachynotus gen. et sp. nov. |
| 2015
|Janusiscus schultzei gen. et sp. nov. |
| 2015
|Raynerius splendens gen. et sp. nov. |
She has written for the HuffPost and given several popular science lectures.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/dr-sam-giles/|title=Dr Sam Giles|website=HuffPost UK|language=en|access-date=2018-09-29}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/lapworth-museum/events/lectures/2017/30Oct17-lapworth-lecture.aspx|title=Fossil Fish|website=birmingham.ac.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-09-29}} In 2019, Giles was awarded the Geological Society of London Lyell Fund, which is awarded to researchers on the basis of outstanding published research.{{Cite web|url=https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/About/Press-Office/Press-Releases/Geological-Society-Awards-2019|title=The Geological Society of London - Geological Society Awards 2019|website=www.geolsoc.org.uk|access-date=2019-03-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/About/Awards-Grants-and-Bursaries/Society-Awards/Wollaston-Lyell-Murchison-Funds|title=The Geological Society of London - The Wollaston, Lyell, Murchison and William Smith Funds|website=www.geolsoc.org.uk|access-date=2019-03-04}} She serves on the council of the Palaeontological Association{{Cite web|title=Council (2020) {{!}} The Palaeontological Association|url=https://www.palass.org/association/council-2020|access-date=2021-01-02|website=www.palass.org}} and the Palaeontographical Society.{{Cite web|title=The Palaeontographical Society - Council 2019-2020|url=https://www.palaeosoc.org/site/page/the-council/council-2008-2009/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=www.palaeosoc.org}}
Personal life
References
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol
Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford
Category:Alumni of St Hugh's College, Oxford