Professor Emily Rayfield from the University’s School of Earth Sciences has received the Gabor Medal for pioneering a new, cross-disciplinary era of engineering-informed computational palaeobiology.

Professor Rayfield’s research focuses on how skeletal mechanics influences morphological evolution and the relationship between form and function in biology.

Her key contribution has been to develop the technique of finite element modelling to understand the mechanics of animal skeletons, living and extinct.

The significance of this research lies not only in its methodological advancements but also in Professor Rayfield's pioneering role in revolutionizing palaeobiology, by leveraging computational analysis, enhanced computer power, software, and X-ray imaging tools to enable hypothesis-based testing on historical datasets, merging computational and experimental approaches.

Professor Rayfield’s research has been particularly influential in elucidating functional ecology and morphological changes during the evolution of vertebrates and across major transitions in the history of life such as the dinosaur and bird evolution, the origin of mammals, and the water to land transition.

She received her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford and a PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of Cambridge. After postdoctoral research and fellowship positions in Oxford, Cambridge and the Natural History Museum London, in 2005 she took up a faculty position in the School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, where she has remained since.

Professor Rayfield’s highly interdisciplinary approach has seen her at the forefront of her discipline, developing novel and creative approaches to study organismal function and evolution.

Professor Rayfield said: “It is a great honour to receive this prestigious medal as recognition of my research contributions, and I am deeply grateful to be acknowledged by my peers in this manner. As always, this award represents a team effort.

“My research has been supported by the many talented students and postdocs I’ve had the privilege of working with and mentoring over the years and inspiring and challenging colleagues working in computational and experimental studies of animal morphology and function.

“My research also builds on the foundations laid by former insightful thinkers and talented scientists who forged research at the intersection of physics, biology and palaeontology to understand the function and evolution of organisms past and present.”

Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society said, “The scope of scientific knowledge and experience in this year’s line-up is amazing. These outstanding researchers, individuals and teams have contributed to our collective scientific endeavour and helped further our understanding of the world around us. “I am proud to celebrate outstanding science and offer my congratulations to all the 2024 recipients of the Royal Society’s Medals and Awards.”