I am professor in the Department of Biology at Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada. My research is focused on the fossil record of plants (palaeobotany) in Canada and Australia with a particular interest in the systematics of conifers, palms (Arecaceae) and ferns, as well as palaeoclimate and palaeoecological reconstruction of forest ecosystems of the last 66 million years. I am also a keen gardener and in my Canada Hardiness zone 3a garden I grow a range of ferns and trees - including a thriving Ginkgo biloba (featured in my profile picture) - that are outside of their usual hardiness zone. I have a passion for ferns and have 14 species across 6 genera naturalized in my garden.