Worked as a geoscientist for over 10 years in different locations around the world. Well-experienced in applying science in the field and laboratories. Primarily working and research in paleoclimatology with a focus on hydrocarbons since 2013.
Background in Geoscience. Acquired extensive experience working in biogeochemistry and isotope geochemistry for paleoclimate (and environment) research. Also experience applying structural geology and mapping, GIS, sedimentology, stratigraphy, and geomorphology. Acquired each main degree in different countries and continents. Highly adaptable to changing focus on the field of research. Never took any courses in isotope geochemistry and paleoclimatology. These skills were learned through applied work in laboratories and from reading literature. Then, conducted a PhD in this area of science.
Attained bachelor’s degree in geology at the University of Arizona. All coursework was primarily based on fieldwork and lab work. A significant amount of hands-on experience was gained for this degree, finishing with six weeks of intense fieldwork through the Western half of the USA. Acquired a Master of Geology at Potsdam Universität in Potsdam, Germany. Took part in multiple fieldwork excursions throughout Europe and Turkey. Master thesis project: spent several months in Bolivia, South America. In Bolivia, Conducted geologic mapping and identified geologic structures along two 150 km transects through the Subandes. Finally, PhD was attained here in Australia at James Cook University in Cairns. The thesis project resulted in the first high-resolution paleoclimate recontraction of the Australian tropics spanning 155, 000 years through leaf waxes from a sediment core at a site near Darwin, NT. Numerous publications will soon follow and a few are currently in press.
Worked for five years in this field of paleoclimate research in Germany before moving to Australia. Worked under the supervision of Dirk Sachse initially at Potsdam Universität from 2013 to 2016 then at the GFZ (GeoForschugsZentrum: German Research Centre for Geosciences) from 2016 to 2018. The GFZ is one of the world’s leading paleoclimate research facilities. Assisted on projects all over the world, assisted the lab manager in maintaining the laboratory at GFZ and trained numerous people that came through there. In addition, taught PhD students (in a course) how to utilize 3D geological software at Potsdam University, Germany.
Applied the skills learned in Germany to plan and carry out the laboratory work for the PhD thesis and deal with the ordeals that occurred. Comfortable working and maintaining a laboratory and training others.
While at JCU I primarily worked as a Research Scientist/PhD student in Paleoclimatology with a strong focus in isotope geochemistry and biogeochemistry for my PhD project. My PhD was strictly research-based. The project resulted in a high-resolution reconstruction of 155,000 years in Northern Australia. Fieldwork was conducted at Girraween Lagoon, near Darwin, Northern Territory Australia. n-Alkanes (leaf waxes) from plants extracted from a 20 m sediment core were utilized for the project. Stable carbon isotopes were utilized to reconstruct the paleoenvironment (plant cover) over time while stable hydrogen isotopes were applied to reconstruct the past precipitation (climate) over time in the area. I conducted all the lab work myself for this project utilizing isotope geochemistry and biogeochemistry while following strict safety standards. Samples were measured on a GC-MS and an IRMS.
Conducted work in a biomarker lab
Stable isotope proxy records in tropical terrestrial environments, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology,
Palaeoecology (2019)
An automated solid phase extraction procedure for
lipid biomarker purification and stable isotope analysis, Organic Geochemistry (2020)
Heinrich events drove major intensification of the Indo-Australian monsoon over the last 150,000 years
(2024)
Late Pleistocene–early Holocene establishment of an Anthropogenic fire regime in Australia’s tropical
savannas (2024)
Holocene hydroclimate inferred from alkane isotope and pollen records from monsoonal northern
Australia (In Press)
How well do n-alkane carbon isotope variations in lacustrine sediments reflect terrestrial vegetation
change in the tropics? (In Press)
References
Prof. Michael Bird:
email: michael.bird@jcu.edu.au
Phone: +61742321137
Dr. Dirk Sachse:
email: dirk.sachse@gfz-potsdam.de
Phone: +49 331 6264-28823
Prof. Manfred Strecker:
Email: strecker@geo.uni-potsdam.de
Phone: +49 331 977 5811
Dr. Gerold Zeilinger:
Email: zeilinger@geo.uni-potsdam.de
Phone: +49 331 977 5839