Elizabeth Jeffers is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Zoology. Her research aims to understand how environmental change impacts plant chemistry and (ultimately) biogeochemical cycling over a wide range of timescales. She has a particular interest in biominerals such as calcium oxalate that protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses, and influence mineral cycling in soils. She is currently developing the use of Raman spectroscopy for rapid sensing of plant chemical traits with the aim of creating new tools for ecosystem monitoring.
After completing her D.Phil. from the University of Oxford in 2011, Elizabeth held a James Martin Fellowship in Ecological & Evolutionary Processes. She was appointed Course Director for Oxford’s NERC-funded Doctoral Training Partnership in 2014, a role she held until 2019 when she became Director of Graduate Studies in Zoology. Elizabeth is also a member of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History's Board of Visitors.
