Melissa Cook (PhD Candidate)
Project title: Biogeochemical Cycling at Sites of Serpentinization
Benjamin Taylor (MSc Candidate)
Project title: CO2 mineralization potential of Newfoundland's ultramafic rocks
Timilehin Oguntuyaki (PhD Candidate)
Project title: CO2 mineralization potential of mine waste
Matthew Gill (PhD Candidate)
Project title: CO2 mineralization potential of the Bay of Islands Ophiolite
Kendra Revoy (Undergraduate Student)
Project: Determining the local meteoric water line using seasonal precipitation samples across the island of Newfoundland - Stable Isotope Precipitation Sampling (SIPS)
Ian Coxon (NSERC USRA and Undergraduate Thesis Student)
Project Title: Examining organic biosignatures of life through phospholipid fatty acid extractions of samples from ultra-basic serpentinite-hosted springs.
Judith Vogt (PhD Candidate)
Project Title: Greenhouse Gas monitoring and natural and industrial sector.
Jointly Supervised with Dr. Dave Risk, St. Francis Xavier University.
Oladapo Simeon (PhD Candidate)
Project Title: Microbiology of serpentinite-hosted springs.
Jointly Supervised with Dr. Andrew Lang of Memorial's Department of Biology
Anna Whelan (Undergraduate thesis student)
Project Title: Lipid biomarkers and geochemistry of serpentinite-hosted springs.
Former Team Members
PhD
Lukas Kohl (2012/5 - 2017/2)
Thesis Title: Molecular biomarkers of soils and serpentinization
Present Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020-2021 Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions fellow, University of Helsinki, Finland
Fuqiang Fan (2014/2 - 2015/12)
Thesis Title: Develop and deploy quantification methods for sulfate reducing bacteria in produced waters
Present Position: Research Associate at the School of Env. Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University in China, a top university in China
MSc
Zhanae Sutherland (2020/9-2021/8)
Thesis Title: CO2 Mineralization Estimate for the Island of Newfoundland
Present Position: Hydrogeologist with Iron Ore Company of Canada
Emily Cumming (2016/5-2018/9)
Thesis Title: Quantifying CO2 sequestration and constraining the potential sources of dissolved CH4 at the Tablelands, Gros Morne National Park, NL, Canada: a site of continental serpentinization
Present Position: Environmental Education Program Lead with Conservation Corps Newfoundland and Labrador
Adam May (2016/9 - 2017/9)
Project Title: Mapping volatile organic compounds from leaking exploration well in the Port au Port Bay NL
Present Position: Consultant, Dillion Environmental Services
Melissa Cook (2014/9 - 2017/2)
Thesis Title: Characterization of sediments and mussels to determine if oil and metal contamination is affecting the scallop population in Port au Port Bay, NL
Present Position: PhD Candidate and NSERC CGS award winner
Liam Morrissey (2014/9 - 2016/8)
Thesis Title: Gas flux and isotopic sampling of diffuse gas at a site of serpentinization for the purposes of sourcing methane
Present Position: Received his PhD from Memorial University Dept. of Engineering. Is currently a Postdoctoral Research Consultant at NASA Goddard
Sarah Turner (2014/5 - 2017/3)
Thesis Title: Microbial inhibition of sulfate reduction using nitrate and nitrite addition: a laboratory study of reservoir souring control
Present Position: Geologist, Marathon Gold
Amanda Rietze (2011/9 - 2014/12) , Memorial University of Newfoundland
Thesis Title: Investigating the geochemistry and habitability of continental sites of serpentinization
Present Position: Environmental Geoscientist, Dillion Environmental Services,
Professional Geologist
Heidi Kavanagh (2013/9 - 2014/12)
Project Title: Sources and fates of halogenated hydrocarbons at sites serpentinization
Present Position: Department Head of Science, Chair of the Eastern Newfoundland
Regional Science Fair Council, Holy Trinity Highschool, NL School Board
Natalie Szponar (2009/9 - 2012/8)
Thesis Title: Biosignature identification at a Mars analogue site of present-day serpentinization in the Tablelands Ophiolites of Newfoundland
Present Position: PhD Candidate, University of Toronto
Chris Choi (2011/9 - 2012/8)
Project Title: The influence of pH on the quantification of dissolved organic carbon in NL
Present Position: Pine Environmental Services
Nicole Debond (2009/9 - 2012/5)
Thesis Title: Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic tracers for dissolved organic matter cycling in a boreal estuary
Present Position: Environmental consultant, Associated Engineering
Undergraduate Thesis Students
Josh Winter (2020/09 - 2021/04)
Project title: Examining organic biosignatures of life through phospholipid fatty acid extractions in a site of continental serpentinization: the Tablelands, NL
Kayla Lawrence (2019/09 - 2020/04)
Project title: Examining CO2 sequestration potential and subsequent carbon mineralization in ultramafic rocks from Baie Verte Newfoundland.
Ali Ahmed (2019/1-1019/12)
Thesis Title: Investigating abiotic lipid degradation over time in high pH serpentine waters from The Cedars and Tablelands Ophiolite.
Mattea McRae (2018/9-2019/4)
Thesis Title: Comparing CO2 sequestration experimental methods and
investigating CO2 sequestration using Type I and Type II serpentine groundwaters.
Present Position: MSc Candidate, Metal Earth at the Harquail School of Earth Sciences,
Sudbury, Canada
Jack Bishop (2018/1 - 2018-8)
Thesis Title: Investigating CO2 sequestration potential of ultramafic and felsic rocks using readily available water types: a laboratory study
Present Position: Primary School Science Teacher, Thailand
Sarah Ryan (2017/9 - 2018/4)
Thesis Title: Optimization of Laboratory CO2 Sequestration Experiments Using Ultramafic Rocks
Present Position: Exploration Geologist, Longford Exploration, Vancouver
Stephen Connors (2017/1 - 2017/8)
Thesis Title: Improved polycyclic aromatic extraction efficiency and characterization from automobile and wood combustion
Present Position: Present Position: Masters of Environmental Studies in Urban Planning Student and
SSHRC awardee, University of Waterloo
Emily Cumming (2014/4 - 2014/9)
Thesis/Project Title: Testing different methane field sampling methods for isotopic fractionation
Present Position: Environmental Technician and Project Coordinator, Northeast Avalon
Atlantic Coastal Action Program
Alison Cox (2014/1 - 2014/12)
Thesis Title: Autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial metabolisms at a site of Continental Serpentinization: The Cedars
Present Position: Geologist at Anaconda Mining, England
Sean O'Brien (2013/9 - 2014/4) ,
Thesis Title: Phytoremediation of acid generating soils
Present Position: A geologist after receiving his MSc from Lakehead University, Rio Tinto
Sarah Miles (2013/1 - 2013/12)
Thesis Title: Substrates (CO or CO2) Utilization in Chemolithotrophic Microorganisms at Sites of Serpentinization: Tablelands Ophiolite, Newfoundland
Present Position: Received her PhD from University of Alberta, and is now an Environmental Consultant at Geosyntec Consulting
Heidi Kavanagh (2011/9 - 2012/4)
Thesis Title: Nutrient availability and substrate usage for microbial metabolisms in ultra-basic reducing springs
Department Head of Science, Chair of the Eastern Newfoundland Regional Science Fair Council, Holy Trinity Highschool, NL School Board
Chris Earle (2010/9 - 2011/8)
Thesis Title: The influence of pH on the quantification methods of organic carbon in natural waters
Present Position: Medical Student, Memorial University
Research Assistants
Ian Coxon (2021/4 - 2021/8) Josh Winter (2019/09 – 2020/12) Caroline Li Chay Chung (2019/09-2020/02)
Luke Evans (2019/09-2019/12)
Jack Bishop (2018/1 - 2018/4)
Emily Elliot (2017/6 - 2017/8)
Mandy Lim (2017/5 - 2017/8)
Emily Cumming (2013/5 - 2013/8)
Ali Khan (2011/1-2011/4)
Patrick Caul (2010/1-2101-4)
Monica Squires (2009/5-2009/8)
