Yuval Zuk
PhD Student
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Yuval holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Kellogg-Recanati International Executive MBA Program, and is currently completing an MSc in Marine Geology.
Yuval's proposed PhD research focuses on the Pliocene environment of the Dead Sea Basin, particularly the Bnot Lot Member of the Sedom Formation at Mount Sedom. The study will examine fossil bird footprints, sedimentary cycles, and fossil assemblages to reconstruct ancient lake environments and understand how ecosystems changed over time.
Beyond his academic interests, Yuval is a licensed skipper and certified Divemaster, with a particular passion for sailing in high-latitude regions.
Current Research
Current Research
Traces of Ancient Life: Reconstructing the Pliocene Lake Environment of the Dead Sea Basin
During the Pliocene, approximately 5.3–2.6 million years ago, the Dead Sea Basin was very different from the landscape we know today. The region experienced changing lake conditions, with periods of flooding, evaporation, and exposure that left behind a rich geological record. One particularly interesting part of this record is the Bnot Lot Member of the Sedom Formation, exposed at Mount Sedom, where sedimentary layers preserve fossil footprints and remains of ancient plants and animals.
The PhD research focuses on fossil bird footprints and the ancient lake environments of the Bnot Lot Member, Sedom Formation, near the Dead Sea. The study aims to understand not only which animals lived along the lake margins during the Pliocene, but also how the environment changed over time and how their footprints were preserved. The research combines three main areas: the study of bird footprints and their preservation, the analysis of sedimentary cycles that reflect changing lake conditions, and the investigation of fossil fish, plants, and insects to reconstruct the ancient lake ecosystem. Using fieldwork, sedimentological analysis, 3D documentation, and geological dating methods where possible, the project aims to build a clearer picture of the environmental history and animal life in the Dead Sea Basin millions of years ago.
Bird footprint (left) and scanned image (right).
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