Nationality: South African
Institution: Rhodes University/ Albany Museum
Department: Earth Sciences/Geology
PAST programme support: Research project support
Research title: Curation and Digitisation of the Devonian Ecosystems Project collection.
Shawn Douglas Johnstone was raised on a small farm in Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal. He earned his undergraduate degree in Geology and Microbiology in 2020, followed by an Honours in Geology in 2021, and a Masters in Geology in 2024, with a research focus on Karoo Large Igneous Province (LIP) rocks and remote sensing.
Although originally drawn to microbiology, Shawn’s interest in Earth Sciences grew during his geology coursework, solidifying his path in the field. His fascination with volcanic islands, in particular, has been a driving force in his academic journey. During his master’s studies, he worked part-time as a curation assistant for the Devonian Ecosystems project, further expanding his appreciation for origin sciences while pursuing his ambition of becoming an igneous geochemist.
“I have grown to appreciate the importance of the origin science work, and have enjoyed every moment of it.”