Although this is the final paper of my PhD, I do have one more piece on the Pliocene in the works. I'm looking forward to sharing more about that in the coming months!

A huge thank you to my wonderful co-authors for their insight, expertise and guidance!

An earlier version of the paper formed the third results chapter of my PhD thesis, which is also available open access: etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/36...

This was a real passion project. My hope is that this paper, alongside its companion palaeoclimate analogy framework paper led by @arthuroldeman.bsky.social, inspire more critical conversations around palaeoclimate analogy.

We explore how analogous Pliocene temperature and precipitation change is to a range of future climate scenarios. The strength of the Pliocene as an analogue is found to be highly dependent on a number of factors, including the climate variable and the spatial and temporal scales of interest.

Thanks so much, Izzy!!

Thank you soo much!!

I am hugely grateful to my examiners, supervisors, and everyone else in my village for creating such a supportive environment from which I have now emerged as Dr Burton! (9/end)

I am so proud of the research produced throughout my PhD, and to have successfully defended my PhD as a person who stammers. My viva lasted almost four hours and talking confidently for that length of time has felt like an impossibility many times throughout my PhD. (8/9)

The final results chapter is a critical assessment of the Pliocene as a palaeoclimate ‘analogue’ for future temperature and precipitation change, comparing PlioMIP2 outputs to SSPs from IPCC AR6.

Currently in review in Global and Planetary Change – stay tuned! (7/9)

The seasonal variation of sea surface temperature and influence of CO2 is also presented, as well as new site-specific estimates of climate sensitivity.

Also published in Climate of the Past: cp.copernicus.org/articles/20/... (6/9)

The second results chapter builds on the first, using the same methodology to understand the role of CO2 in sea surface temperature change at specific proxy data sites. The influence of CO2 greatly varies between sites, but predominantly drives 17 of 19 sites considered. (5/9)

The first uses a novel method to assess the influence of CO2 in the Pliocene. CO2 is found to predominantly force temperature, sea surface temperature, and precipitation change but its influence varies spatially.

Published in Climate of the Past: cp.copernicus.org/articles/19/... (4/9)

My thesis, “The importance of CO2 forcing in the Pliocene and its implications for the future”, will be available open access shortly, but here’s a quick summary of the results chapters 👇(3/9)

I have so many people to thank for their wisdom, support and guidance over the past four years. It has taken a village.

Special thanks also to my examiners, Ruža and Mark, for such interesting, positive discussions in my viva! (2/9)

Hi, I'm Lauren!

I just submitted my PhD thesis in palaeoclimate science and its applications to future climate change. I usually post about climate, science communication, and stammering.

Currently in Leeds, UK, and looking for opportunities post-PhD. I'd love to connect and say hello 👋

Thank you, these are very helpful!

I was also lucky enough to co-author a science highlights article for this edition of the magazine alongside Heather Ford, Sze-Ling Ho, Debs Tangunan, Sindia Sosdian, Tamara Fletcher, and Erin McClymont.

That article is also available open access 👉 pastglobalchanges.org/publications...