Palaeoenvironmental Research Unit

The Palaeoenvironmental Research Unit is an active interdisciplinary research group, housed within the School of Geography, Archaeology & Irish Studies at the University of Galway. Members of the PRU specialise in the reconstruction of past climates and environmental conditions both globally and locally in Ireland, using a variety of physical, biological and chemical palaeoenvironmental proxies and techniques. We are united by a common goal: ‘To reconstruct Earth’s past in order to better understand our future’. 

Our knowledge and research outcomes are aligned with several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) including quality education (4), clean water and sanitation (6), climate action (13), life below water (14) and life on land (15). Our research integrates with the University of Galway’s ‘Sustaining our Planet and People’ initiative and the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, Signature Research Areas (SRA) 4 - ‘Climate Change and Marine Environment’ and SRA 2 - ‘Cultural Heritage’. Our research outputs contribute to these research and innovation strategies by showing i) a commitment to expanding knowledge of climate and environmental systems and ii) building a comprehensive research ecosystem. 

The PRU contributes to a number of research programmes across the University of Galway, including the Ryan Institute, effectively bridging the gap between the Arts and the Natural Sciences. 

This website details the history of the PRU and current specialisms, team members and active projects. Scroll through our About Us, People, and Projects pages to find out more. If you are interested in getting involved see our Join Us page for details on postgraduate education, collaboration and current vacancies. 

Photo credit: Dr Gordon Bromley, Dr Audrey Morley and Dr Karen Taylor.