Among Newton’s main research interests are tephrochronology and using tephra layers to help understand volcanological histories, geomorphology and human-environment landscape interactions. Over the last 20 years he has designed and managed the Tephrabase – a tephrochronological database – and also the North Atlantic Biocultural Organisation’s website and Project Management System. Both of these systems will be integrated into the dataARC system and he will be coordinating this and further enhancements to enable compatibility and to add extra functionality.