Dr Lorna Steel
- Curator
- Earth Sciences department
- ES Vertebrates and Anthropology Palaeobiology
Cromwell Road
London
SW7 5BD
Biography
Employment history
2006 - present: Curator (Natural History Museum)
2006 - 2006: Museum Assistant (Newport Roman Villa)
2004 - 2006: Assistant Curator (Dinosaur Isle Museum)
2000 - 2004: Education Officer (Dinosaur Isle Museum)
1998 - 2000: Education Assistant (Museum of Isle of Wight Geology)
1996 - 1997: University of Portsmouth
Qualifications
Qualifications
1997 - 2004: PhD "Studies in pterosaur bone palaeohistology" (University of Portsmouth)
1995 - 1996: MSc Vertebrate Palaeontology (UCL)
1992 - 1995: BSc Biology, Hons. (University of Derby)
1990 - 1992: A-levels: Biology, Psychology, Fine Art (South East Derbyshire College)
Curation
A visiting researcher and museum photographer studying Archaeopteryx.
Collections
Fossil reptiles, birds and amphibians.
Special projects
Pterosaur collections; storage improvements and databasing.
Crocodile collections; storage improvements and databasing.
Type and figured specimens.
Research
Twilight Cave, a lava tube in Mauritius. © Steve Bourne
Research Interests
Cave development; caves as palaeontological sites; the palaeoecology of the Mascarene Islands; bone histology; pterosaur palaeobiology.
Research collaborations
Mr Greg Middleton (Sydney Speleological Society), Dr Julian Hume (NHM Bird Group), Mr Owen Griffiths (Francois Leguat Museum, Rodrigues), Prof. Dave Burney (National Tropical Botanic Garden, Kauai, HI, USA).
Other Duties
Pest monitoring
I identify and record insects on sticky traps throughout the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors of the Palaeontology Department. This is done monthly. The numbers of insects are recorded so that we can recognise an outbreak of pest species, such as beetle larvae or booklice, which might threaten our collections or our paper records. Some insects do not damage museum collections, but they are early indicators of damp or gaps in the building.
Exhibition loan coordinator
I organise loans of specimens to other museums, for displays and exhibitions. We have strict terms and conditions to ensure the safety and security of our specimens.
Tea and biscuit cupboard keyholder
This is probably the most important job in the whole museum. We can't function without tea, coffee and biscuits!
Fire marshal
In the event of a fire, it is my job to get everyone on the 2nd floor out of the building.
Publications
Publications
2010
- Steel, L. ( 2010 ) The pterosaur collection at the Natural History Museum, London, UK: history, overview, recent curatorial developments and exciting new finds. Acta Geoscientica Sinica 31 (supp. 1) : 59-61 .
2008
- Steel, L. ( 2008 ) Pterosaur bone palaeohistology: an overview. Zitteliana B28 : 109 - 125 .
2005
- Steel, L., Martill, D.M., Unwin, D.M. & Winch, J. ( 2005 ) A new ornithocheirid pterosaur from the Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, Southern England. Cretaceous Research 26 : 686-698 . doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2005.03.005
2003
- Steel, L. ( 2003 ) The John Quekett sections and the earliest pterosaur histological studies. E. Buffetaut & J.-M. Mazin (Eds.), In: Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs . Geological Society : London , 325-334 . Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs | doi: 10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.217.01.20
1997
- Steel, L., Martill, D. Kirk, J., Anders, A., Loveridge, R. Frey, E. & Martin, J. ( 1997 ) Arambourgiania philadelphiae: giant wings in small halls. Geological Curator 6 (8) : 305-313 . Geological Curator