Trinity Hall bioarchaeologist elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry

A chemist working at the intersection of chemistry and archaeology, Dr O’Connell’s research looks for the tiny chemical clues in human and animal tissues to examine their ancient diet and the climates they lived in.

Speaking of her Fellowship, Dr O’Connell said: “I am thrilled and honoured to have been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. It is a recognition that whilst I may work in a Department of Archaeology, I am very much a chemist at heart. I am pleased that such an acknowledgement also highlights the fundamental contribution of chemistry to so many fields, as well as emphasising the interdisciplinary nature of both archaeology and isotopic ecology.”

The process she uses to examine ancient tissues is known as isotopic analysis. It identifies and quantifies the number of isotopes (differing versions of the same element) in samples of ancient human tissue or soil. This gives clues to where they are from and what ancient humans ate.

As well as practical application to archaeological, ecological and human movement case studies, her work also focuses on developing our understanding of the underlying principles of isotopic analysis, allowing for improvements in what can be interpreted from the data.

Mary Hockaday, Master of Trinity Hall, said: “I’m delighted to congratulate Dr Tamsin O’Connell on her Fellowship. She is a distinguished academic who has forged a path from chemistry to archaeology, reflecting how scientific analysis has changed her field in fundamental ways. It is wonderful to see her add this Fellowship to her complementary Fellowship of the Society of Antiquaries.”

Dr O’Connell teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and led the Department of Archaeology between 2021 and 2025.

The Royal Society of Chemistry has historical roots in societies dating back to 1848 and exists for the purpose of the general advancement of chemical science and its application.