Welcome to the Marine Geochemistry Laboratory at the University of Hawai'i
My lab studies the ocean today and throughout Earth history. We specifically focus on seawater carbonate chemistry and carbonate sediments. Some examples of the lab's current research focuses:
Exploring the roles of calcium carbonate minerals in the oceanic carbon cycle.
Quantifying the impact of sub-seafloor processes on ocean chemistry.
Developing and testing ocean-based carbon sequestration techniques.
Reconstructing Earth's history using the carbonate archive.
Ongoing research projects in the lab focus on fish produced carbonates in the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda and in the Pacific Ocean off California, sub-seafloor carbon cycling in Baffin Bay near Greenland glaciated margin and on the slope of the Great Bahama Bank. We also have experience culturing coccolithophores in the lab and conduct experiments to study thermodynamics and kinetics of carbonate mineral (aragonite, calcite, and dolomite) formation, dissolution, and alteration. We also study how elements are incorporated and how their isotopes are fractionated in carbonate minerals. Thus far, we have been focusing on carbon, oxygen, iodine, barium, uranium, and sulfur. The lab is also interested in carbon dioxide removal approaches. Thus far we have focused on ocean alkalinity enhancement and we studied mineral formation after alkalinity addition as well as chemical engineering approaches to generate alkalinity from carbonate rocks.
If any of these areas interests you and you would like to discuss opportunities in my lab, please feel free to reach out.
