Professor Silvia Gonzalez

Room 452a
James Parsons Building,
Byrom St.
Liverpool.
L3 3AF

Academic Profile:

1992 PhD, Geophysics (Palaeomagnetism and Geochemistry of Holocene Volcanos, Central Mexico) University of Mexico

1989 MEng, (Oil Exploration), Paleomagnetic Study of Batholiths along the Pacific Coast of Mexico, Geophysics Institute, University of Mexico

1986 BSc (Hons) Engineering Geology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Mexico

Previous Posts:

2003-Present Reader, School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University.

1996-2003 University Lecturer, teaching at the Degrees in Earth Sciences and Physical Geography, School of Biological and Earth Sciences,
Liverpool John Moores University

1994-1996 Research Associate, School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University.

Research Interests:

Quaternary research, looking at a wide variety of aspects: Sea level changes, coastal Holocene geomorphology and soils in the Northwest of England; extinction of megafauna during the Pleistocene-Holocene; geoarchaeology and environmental changes during the Holocene in Mexico and NW England; tephrachronology and subglacial volcanic processes in Iceland and Mexico using magnetic properties and geochemistry; palaeomagnetism and geochemistry of Quaternary lavas in Mexico; Early human populations, mammoth extinctions and volcanic events in Mexico. Ancient DNA, craniometrics and stable isotopes studies in Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene Human Populations in Mexico. Sedimentology of lacustrine and pyroclastic volcanic sequences in the Basin of Mexico and Puebla basin and glacial processes in North West England and Iceland. Dating and recording human footprints in Mexico and the UK.

Recent Publications:

1. Gonzalez, S., Jimenez-Lopez, C., Hedges, R., Huddart, D., Ohman, J.C.,Turner, A., Pompa y Padilla, J.A. 2003. Earliest humans in the Americas: new evidence from Mexico, Journal of Human Evolution 44, 379-387.

2. Bennett, M.R., Waller, R.I., Midgley, N.G., Huddart, D., Gonzalez, S., Cook, S.J. and Tomio, A. 2003. Subglacial deformation at sub-freezing temperatures? Evidence from Hagafellsjökull-Eystri, Iceland. Quaternary Science Reviews, 22, 915-923.

3. Morett, L. J., Gonzalez, S., Arroyo-Cabrales, Polaco, O., Sherwood, G. 2003. The Late Pleistocene paleoenvironment of the Basin of Mexico: evidence from the Tocuila Mammoth site. Proceedings of the 2nd International Mammoth Conference, June 1999. DEINSEA 9, 267-272, Rotterdam.

4. Innes, J.B., Blackford, J.J., Chiverell, R.C., Davey, P.J., Gonzalez, S., Rutherford, M.M. and Tomlinson, P.R. 2004. Earliest Holocene vegetation history and Island Biogeography of the Isle of Man, British Isles. Journal of Biogeography, 31, 761-772.

5. Bennett, M.R., Huddart, D., Waller, R.I., Midgley, N.G., Gonzalez, S. and Tomio, A. 2004 Styles of ice-marginal deformation at Hagaefellsjökull-Eystri during the 1998/99 winter-spring surge. Boreas, 33, 1-11.

6. Bennett, M.R., Waller, R.I., Cassidy, N., Tomio, A., Zukowskyj, P., Midgely, N., Cook, S., Gonzalez, S., Glasser, N. 2004. Sedimentary and tectonic architecture of a large push moraine: a case study from Hagafellsjokull-Eystri, Iceland. Sedimentary Geology 172, 269-292.

7. Wilson, G., Lamb, A., Leng. M.J., Gonzalez, S. and Huddart, D. 2004 The potential of carbon isotope ratios as indicators of coastal palaeoenvironmental change: Preliminary results from the Mersey estuary, North West England In R.C. Chiverell, A.J.Plater, G.S.P. Thomas eds. The Quaternary of the Isle of Man and North West England, Field Guide. Quaternary Research Association, London, 217-225.

8. Chiverrell, R., Gonzalez, S., Innes, J., Marshall M., Marshall, J, Coope, R and Thomas, G. 2004. Glen Balleira: Evidence for late glacial environmental change. In The Quaternary of the Isle of Man & North West England , Field Guide. Eds: Chiverrell, R.C., Plater, A. & Thomas, G. Quaternary Research Association, UK, pp 73-93.

9. Gonzalez, S., and Cowell, R. 2004. Formby Point Foreshore, Merseyside: Palaeoenvironment and Archaeology, The Quaternary of the Isle of Man & North West England , Field Guide, Quaternary Research Association. Eds: Chiverrell, R.C., Plater, A. & Thomas, G., UK, pp 206-216.

10. Gonzalez Jose, R., Neves, W., Mirazon, M. Gonzalez, S., Pucciarelli, H., Hernandez, M. and Correal G. 2005. Late Pleistocene-Holocene Craniofaciall Morphology in Mesoamerican Paleoindians: Implications for the Peopling of the New World, In Press. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 128: 772-780.

11. Wilson, G., Lamb, A., Leng, M., Gonzalez, S. and Huddart, D. 2005. d13C and C/N as potential coastal palaeoenvironmental indicators in the Mersey Estuary, UK. Quaternary Science Reviews, 24: 2015-2029.

12. Wilson, G.P., Lamb, A.L., Leng, M. J., Gonzalez, S., and Huddart, D. 2005. Variability of organic d13C and C/N in the Mersey Estuary, U.K. and its implications for sea-level reconstruction studies. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science., 64: 685-698.

13. Gonzalez, S., Huddart, D. Bennett, M. and Gonzalez-Huesca A. 2006. Human Footprints in Central Mexico older than 40,000 years ago. Quaternary Science Reviews, 25:201-222. 2nd most downloaded paper on Science Direct from this journal in the period January-March, 2006.

14. Schwenninger, J.L., Gonzalez, S., Huddart, D. and Gonzalez-Huesca A. 2006.The OSL dating of the Xalnene ash: A reply to comments by G. Duller on “Human footprints in Central Mexico Older than 40,000 years, Quaternary Science Reviews, 25: 3077-3080.

15. Huddart, D. and Gonzalez S. 2006. A review of environmental change in the basin of Mexico (40,000-10,000 BP): implications for early humans. In Jimenez-Lopez, J.C., Gonzalez, S, Pompa y Padilla, J.A. and Ortiz Pedraza, F. eds. Early men in the Americas and their implications on the peopling of the Basin of Mexico. INAH Scientific Series, Numero 500, Mexico D.F.; 77-105.

16. Gonzalez, S., Morett-Alatorre, L. and Arroyo-Cabrales, J. and Huddart, D. 2006. Mammoths from the Basin of Mexico: stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating. In Jimenez-Lopez, J.C., Gonzalez, S., Pompa y Padilla, J.A. and Ortiz Pedraza, F. eds. Early men in the Americas and their implications on the peopling of the Basin of Mexico, INAH Scientific Series, Numero 500, Mexico D.F. ; 263-274.

17. Gonzalez, S, Jimenez-Lopez, J.C., Hedges, R., Pompa y Padilla, J.A, and Huddart, D. 2006. Early humans in Mexico: New chronological data. In Jimenez-Lopez, J.C., Gonzalez, S., Pompa y Padilla, J.A. and Ortiz Pedraza, F. eds. Early men in the Americas and their implications on the peopling of the Basin of Mexico, INAH Scientific Series,Numero 500, Mexico, D.F.; 67-76.

18. Chiverell, R., Innes, J., Thomas, G, Gonzalez, S. ,Roberts, D. and Coope, R. 2006 Emerging from the Ice Age .In Thomas, G., Davey, P. and Chiverell, R. (eds) A New History of the Isle of Man: Vol. I, The Evolution of the Natural Landscape, Liverpool University Press, 220-278.

19. Roberts, D., Chiverrell, R. Innes, J., Horton, B., Brooks, A., Thomas, G., Turner, S. and S. Gonzalez, 2006. Holocene sea levels, Last Glacial Maximum glaciomarine environments and geophysical models in the northern Irish Sea Basin, UK. Marine Geology, 231, 1-4: 113-128.

20. Gonzalez, S., Huddart, D. and Bennett, M. 2006. Valsequillo Pleistocene archaeology and dating: ongoing controversy in Central Mexico. World Archaeology, 38, No. 4, 611-627.

Books:

1. Ruiz-Vazquez M. and González S. 2000, Geología Aplicada a la Ingeniería Civil. 255 pp. Editorial Limusa, Mexico, D.F. Textbook in Spanish.

2. Jimenez-Lopez, J.C., Gonzalez, S., Pompa y Padilla, J.A. and Ortiz Pedraza, F. (Editors.) 2006 “Early Men in America and their implications for the peopling of the Basin of Mexico" Conference Proceedings, INAH Scientific Series, Mexico DF.

3. Gonzalez, S. 2007, Book chapter: The archaeology of global expansion: 300,000-8,000 years ago; the peopling of the Americas. In Elias, S. (ed.) Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Sciences, Elsevier. 132-135.

Invited Talks:

1. Gonzalez, Silvia, Earliest Humans and Latest Mammoths in Mexico, Liverpool University, Archaeology Department, U.K., 12 June 1999.
   
   
2. Gonzalez, Silvia, Earliest Human in Mexico, Templo Mayor, National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City, 15 July 1999.
   
   
3. Gonzalez, Silvia, The Extinction of the Giant Deer of the Isle of Man, Manx Museum, Douglas, 14 January 2000.
   
   
4. Gonzalez, Silvia, Extinciones de Megafauna del Pleistoceno-Holoceno: El caso del Irish Elk (Venado Gigante de Irlanda), Seminario, Hombre Fauna, Departamento de Arqueozoologia, Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, Mexico City, 4 August 2000.
   
   
5. Gonzalez, Silvia, 2001, Earliest Humans in America, New C14 Results, Geophysics Institute, National University, Mexico, 5 August 2001.
   
   
6. Gonzalez, Silvia, Earliest Humans and the Latest Mammoths in Mexico, Department of Anthropology, University College London, UK. January 2002.
   
   
7. Gonzalez, Silvia, The Paleoenvironment of the Meols Site, Meols Seminar, National Museums and Galleries in Merseyside, Liverpool Museum, 3 April 2002.
   
   
8. Gonzalez, Silvia, Mammoth Extinction, Department of Geology, Keele University, 12 October 2002.
   
   
9. Gonzalez, Silvia, Death of the Mammoth, North of England Zoological Society, Chester Zoo, 9th November 2002.
   
   
10. Gonzalez, Silvia, Prehistoric Man and Mammoths from Mexico, Mexican Embassy, Canning House, London, UK. March 27 2003.
    
    
11. Gonzalez, Silvia, Evidence in the Bones: The Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene Human Fossil Record from the Western USA and Mexico. International Quaternary Association Congress, Reno, Nevada, USA, 29 July 2003.
    
    
12. Gonzalez, Silvia, Early Humans in America- New Evidence from Mexico, West Lancashire Archaeological Society, Ormskirk, 5 December 2003.
    
    
13. Gonzalez Silvia and Tony Stuart "The giant deer of the Isle of Man", in the Severance Seminar, Manx Museum Douglas organised by the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society and the Centre for Manx Studies, University of Liverpool, Douglas, Isle of Man, 21 February 2004.
    
    
14. Gonzalez Silvia “Peopling of the Americas: New data from Mexico” The role of environmental change in human evolution and dispersal. The BA Archaeology and Anthropology Section and NERC, British Association for the Advancement of Science, Festival of Science, Exeter, 6th September 2004.
    
    
15. Gonzalez Silvia “Human dispersals and environmental controls during the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene in Mexico: implications for the peopling of the Americas”, International Symposium Early Humans in America. National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City, 9 September 2004.
    
    
16. Gonzalez Silvia, “Death of the Quaternary megafauna: a whodunit” in the Environmental Processes and Change Seminars, University of Southampton, School of Geography, 8 December 2004.
    
    
17. Gonzalez Silvia, The oldest American? Footprints from the Past, Café Scientifique, Blackwells Café, University of Liverpool Campus, 22th November 2005.
    
    
18. Gonzalez Silvia, Mexico Project Results, NERC-Environmental Controls in the chronology of Human Evolution and Dispersal Meeting, Assembly Rooms, Newcastle, 17th March 2005.
    
    
19. Gonzalez Silvia, Volcanoes, Megafauna and the First Americans, Herdman Society Seminars, Geology Department, Liverpool University, 5th December 2005.
    
    
20. Gonzalez Silvia, The Earliest Americans? Footprints from the Past. Bristol University Archaeological Society, Archaeology Department, UK, 23th February 2006.
    
    
21. Gonzalez Silvia, Mexico Project Results, NERC-Environmental Controls in the Chronology of Human Evolution and Dispersal Meeting, Assembly Rooms, Newcastle, UK, 16th March 2006.
    
    
22. Gonzalez Silvia, Human footprints in Central Mexico more than 40,000 years old, 36th International Symposium on Archaeometry, Special session on Early Man in America, Quebec, Canada, 5th May 2006.
    
    
23. Gonzalez Silvia and David Huddart, Volcanes, Megafauna y Los Primeros Americanos: Nueva evidencia de Mexico, Centro de Geosciencias, Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico, 24 August 2006.
    
    
24. Gonzalez Silvia, The first Americans, mammoths and volcanoes: New data from Mexico. In the NERC Changing climates evolving Humans final results meeting at the British Museum, London, UK, 11 November 2006.
    
    
25. Gonzalez Silvia and Huddart David, The Late Pleistocene Human Occupation of Mexico, 2nd International Symposium “The Peopling of the Americas” Museu Do Homem Americano, Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara, Pedra Furada, Brazil, 19th December 2006.
    
    
26. Gonzalez Silvia, Controversies and the First Americans: New evidence from Mexico, Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany, 23th February 2007.