David J. Batten<sup>1,2,*,**

1</sup>aSchool of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road,
²bInstitute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, Aberystwyth SY23 3

^*Email: david.batten@manchester.ac.uk
^**David J. Batten is Professor Emeritus, Aberystwyth University, Wales, Honorary Research Professor at the University of Manchester and, at the time of writing, Chinese Academy of Sciences Visiting Professor at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology. His undergraduate years were spent at Queen's University, Ontario, Canada. He then went to University College London to work towards an M.Sc. in micropalaeontology before going to Cambridge University where he completed a Ph.D. thesis on Cretaceous palynology in 1969. Two more years in Cambridge on a postdoctoral fellowship were followed by five years in industry in North Wales (Robertson Research), London and Aberdeen, Scotland (BP) before he took up a lectureship in geology at Aberdeen University, where he remained until he transferred to Aberystwyth in 1990. Particular research interests include Mesozoic palaeobotany, palynology and palynofacies, and English Wealden geology and palaeontology. He was Editorin-Chief of Cretaceous Research for just under 20 years and is currently in that role again, albeit for only one year. He was also Editor-in-Chief of publications of the Palaeontological Association for nine years until he retired during 2008. Future research is likely soon to be restricted to a few special projects because of other commitments.