Professional Services
Science communication
Rebecca has built a reputation as an exceptional public communicator, both in writing and broadcast.
In 2019 Rebecca led a Women Write Science workshop for British Science Week. She is available to consult on an individual basis on aspects of science communication, and is interested in ideas for developing specialist courses.
Research and consulting
Rebecca undertakes freelance research and partners with organisations or projects requiring detailed understanding of prehistory, and the role of women in archaeology and the Earth sciences.
Recently this has included working with feature film, TV and radio development companies, novelists, heritage organisations and academics.
Expert tours
Rebecca is passionate about sharing her knowledge in many contexts, including as a expert tour guide.
She developed a sell-out Neanderthal-focused tour visiting key sites and museums in southern France with New Scientist Discovery Tours, first running in June 2022. She is also a featured expert on their Spanish Cave Art tour.
Rebecca is always interested in finding new ways to explore the past in person and welcomes enquiries.
Educational content and editing
Rebecca has worked on multiple books aimed at adults and childrenas a prehistory consultant and reviewer. including with with Dorling Kindersley.
They include Big History, History of the World Map by Map, and History Year By Year.
Neanderthal AMA (Ask Me Anything!)
Want to to know if Neanderthals wore clothes, how they treated their dead, or if they could fall in love? Alongside formal consulting partnerships, Rebecca is very happy to work with individuals wanting specific advice.
Recent skype consultations include advising a novellist writing about what a 20th century Neanderthal encounter would be like.
Prehistoric archaeology
Rebecca has over a decade's experience as an archaeological researcher, specialising in early prehistory and the Neanderthals. She is also an expert in stone tool technology.
She is particularly interested in exploring the social and cognitive aspects of Neanderthal life, including their use of birch bark tar and hafting and aesthetic interactions with materials like bone and natural pigment.
Rebecca is also fascinated by the history of science context for the discovery of Neanderthals. In 2018 she was invited to join the Anthropology Working Group for the Breakthrough Listen project, which examines how humanity could find and interpret an extra-terrestrial signal.