Mohamed I.A. Ibrahim,^1,*,** Mohamed K. Zobaa,^2,*** Zainab M. El—Noamani,^3,**** Sameh S. Tahoun<sup>4,*****

1</sup>aDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511,
²bDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, 13518, Egypt;
³cBotany Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt;
⁴dDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, 12613, Egypt

^*Corresponding author. Email: m.ibrahim@alexu.edu.eg; mibrah@gmail.com
^**Mohamed I.A. Ibrahim is a professor of palynology and applied micropalaeontology in the Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, at Alexandria University, Egypt. He has an MSc (1986) in palynology and micropalaeontology from Alexandria University. He obtained his PhD in palynology, micropalaeontology and palaeoenvironment in 1993 from the University of Alexandria and the Technical University of Berlin through a combined channel program. He taught palynology, micropalaeontology and palaeoenvironment from 1993 to 1995 at the Geology Department of Alexandria University, and was a part-time palynostratigraphical consultant for GEOEXEgypt and GeoComp. Mohamed was seconded to the Geology Department, College of Science, Qatar University from 1996 to mid-2002. He is the author of more than 45 research articles on the palynology, micropalaeontology and palaeoecology of Egypt, Libya, Qatar and Kuwait. He was a member and the National Coordinator of the IGCP 381 ‘South Atlantic Mesozoic Correlation’ and a member of AASP, BMS, GSE, EPS and ESQUA. In 2003, he was awarded the Alexandria University Scientific Prize in Geological Sciences, and in 2004 he was awarded the State of Egypt Prize in Geological Sciences. He has been the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, since 2010.
^***Mohamed K. Zobaa is an assistant professor at Benha University, Egypt. He is currently on sabbatical, working as a post-doctoral fellow at Missouri University of Science and Technology, USA. Mohamed received a BSc in geology and an MSc in palynology from Benha University. In 2011, He received his PhD from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Mohamed's main interests and expertise include using palynology to understand the accumulation, distribution, and maturation of sedimentary organic matter in time and space, and how they can be employed to characterise hydrocarbon systems, interpret depositional palaeoenvironments, delineate biostratigraphical events and solve geologically related problems. His expertise also includes palynomorph taxonomy and palaeoclimatic reconstructions. Mohamed's past professional appointments include: research assistant at the Nuclear Materials Authority, Egypt; teaching assistant at Benha University; research associate at East Tennessee State University, USA; teaching assistant at Missouri University of Science and Technology; and geoscience intern at ConocoPhillips, USA. Throughout his career Mohamed has received several awards including the Geology and Geophysics Publication Award, Missouri University of Science and Technology; the Best Student Poster Award, AASP-The Palynological Society; the Outstanding Graduate Scholar Award, Missouri University of Science and Technology; and the Dr. Alfred Spreng Research Award from Missouri University of Science and Technology.
^****Zainab M. El-Noamani has been an assistant lecturer in the Botany Department at Ain Shams University, Egypt, since 2011. She received her BSc (2007) and MSc (2011) from the Ain Shams University. Her PhD research focuses on Mesozoic biostratigraphy, palaeoecology, palaeoclimatology and palynofacies studies of Egypt.
^*****Sameh S.I. Tahoun is an associate professor in the Geology Department at Cairo University, Egypt. He received his BSc (1999) and MSc (2004) from Cairo University. His research interests are focused on palynological stratigraphical applications and the biostratigraphy of the Middle East. His main research interest and publications include Mesozoic quantitative palynology for biostratigraphical correlation, palynofacies studies, sequence recognition and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.