Tara Edwards is a geologist whose research has primarily focused on the chronology and environmental reconstruction of localities within the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa.
Edwards completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Newcastle in Australia, where she fell in love with caves. However, she also had a deep interest in learning about climate and environmental shifts in the deep past and how these could have impacted evolution and the origin of early humans.
To meet this interest, she studied a master’s in Archaeological Science at the Australian National University where she completed a project on material from the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa.
This was followed by a PhD at La Trobe University in Australia, focusing on the geochronology of the Bolt’s Farm Cave Complex, which she completed under the co-supervision of HERI Co-director Dr Robyn Pickering.
Edwards completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and has recently been appointed as Chief Scientific Officer at the university’s Department of Geological Sciences. Her role is to spearhead a new laboratory facility with the isotope node of Biogeochemistry Research Infrastructure Platform (BIOGRIP).
BIOGRIP is a South African research initiative that drives discovery in how biological, geological, chemical, and physical processes interact to shape natural environments over time and space. Edwards’ lab will feature equipment found nowhere else on the continent that will enable rapid and precise isotope ratio and trace element analysis.
“Working with Tara has always been a pleasure. She is extremely good at what she does and works with a speed I find inspirational. She is also fun and funny to be around, so whether we are in the lab, in the field or at a conference, Tara is very good company,” says Pickering.
“I am very excited about her taking on this new position. It's a great facility, and Tara is the really great researcher needed to manage it and oversee what will be groundbreaking science.”
What excites you most about the palaeosciences?
For me it is thinking about how a changing climate impacted the evolution of humans. I love to imagine the landscape 2 or 3 million years ago, what the environment was like, what plant and animal species there were, how much water there was on the landscape and how these things were shifting with the emergence and divergence of hominin species. I feel grounded by how inherently entangled we as humans are with the natural world and how science, and particularly, geology, can reveal this.
Describe your research in three words.
Caves, climate, age.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
It is going to sound cheesy but my biggest inspiration in this field has always been Robyn. From the moment I met her she has always had my back and has shown me that academics can be professional, successful, AND still kind. She does everything she can to support students and to use her position and power to help others who do not have position or power to effect change themselves. She is hands down the reason I am still in this career after a challenging PhD, multiple international moves, having a baby during my postdoc in the middle of a pandemic and finally now landing a salaried position back at UCT.
What has been your biggest academic challenge?
Having a baby as a postdoc. Women are so vulnerable in academia where there is a real tendency to reward overworking at the expense of all else. I was so lucky to have a supportive PI and funding through GENUS which offered four months of PAID maternity leave.
What is the soundtrack to your studies?
I am someone who hyper fixates on one thing at a time. So, for my PhD field work which started in 2016, the soundtrack was Lemonade by Beyonce – every day, all day, it was Lemonade. When I was writing my thesis or when I need to write a grant or presentation, I listen to Non-Stop from Hamilton.