People
Investigators | Research Scientists | Post Docs | Students | Collaborators | Former

Clark Johnson, PI (UW-Madison) clarkj@geology.wisc.edu
Interests include application of stable (C, S, Mg, Ca, and Fe) and radiogenic (Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, Lu-Hf, and U-Th-Pb) isotope geochemistry to determining ancient paleoenvironments and the evolution of microbial metabolisms in the Precambrian Earth and on Mars.

Brian Beard, Co-I (UW-Madison) beardb@geology.wisc.edu
Research interests in isotope geochemistry include development of new stable isotope systems such as Ca, Mg, and Fe, including the calibration of isotopic fractionation factors between minerals and fluids and development of new analytical techniques to measure these isotope compositions. Geochronology and petrogenesis of Martian igneous rocks and this work is being pursued by analysis of SNC group meteorites. Development of new instrumentation to conduct remote isotope analysis on Mars.

Max Coleman, Co-I (JPL) max.coleman@jpl.nasa.gov
Integration of different relevant scientific disciplines to understand how natural systems work, especially as applied to astrobiology and sedimentary systems; specialties include stable isotope geochemistry (C, O, S, Cl). Joint appointment at JPL in Planetary Habitability Science and the Center for Life Detection.

Pascale Ehrenfreund, Co-I (George Washington) pehren@gwu.edu
The interdisciplinary research program led by Dr. Ehrenfreund includes interstellar and planetary chemistry with a current main emphasis on investigation of organic molecules in comets, meteorites and on planetary surfaces, and to calibrate/optimize instrumention for life detection on Mars (Exomars 2013).

Kay Ferrari, Co-I (JPL) Kay.A.Ferrari@jpl.nasa.gov
The Education and Public Outreach effort will focus on sharing information gathered from biosignature experiments, and the subsequent conclusions reached, by the Astrobiology Research Consortium teams with students in grades K-12, educators and with general public audiences. Oversees volunteer outreach and education programs, including NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassadors, Solar System Educators and the Museum Alliance.

Eric Roden, Co-I (UW-Madison) eroden@geology.wisc.edu
Research areas include geomicrobiology and aquatic biogeochemistry, with an emphasis on the physiology and ecology of metal-respiring bacteria and microbial cycling of metals; microbial mineral transformations; and novel lithotrophic metabolic pathways.

Christopher Romanek, Co-I (University of Kentucky) c.romanek@uky.edu
Research specialty in stable isotope and sedimentary geochemistry of carbonate minerals; biomineralization and geomicrobiology; planetary geochemistry; isotope tracers in biological and inorganic systems; mass spectrometry, electron-beam imaging/elemental analysis, and other micro-analytical techniques.

Nita Sahai, Co-I (UW-Madison) sahai@geology.wisc.edu
Biomolecular-mineral surface interactions in low-temperature aqueous environments, with special emphasis on peptide-mediated mineral precipitation (biomineralization) and cell membrane phospholipid- mineral surface interactions (early evolution of life), as explored through computational chemistry and experimental studies.

Mahadeva Sinha, Co-I (JPL) mahadeva.p.sinha@jpl.nasa.gov
Research interests include development of novel technologies for miniature mass spectrometry (MMS) and array detectors for ions. Presently, MMS is being applied for the measurement of chemical and isotopic composition of rock samples using laser ablation for sample introduction. The science goals are the determination of the role of biotic processes and the paleo-environmental conditions in the formation of minerals in the rocks.

Brooke Norsted, Co-I (UW-Madison) brooke@geology.wisc.edu
As Assistant Director of the Geology Museum, coordinates all astrobiology outreach programs and related museum exhibits.

John Valley, Co-I (UW-Madison) valley@geology.wisc.edu
Determining the surface conditions of the ancient Earth (up to 4.4. b.y. ago) through studies of the oldest terrestrial zircons using light stable isotopes such as Li and O; determining the genesis and biogenicity of proposed Archean microfossils and host cherts through O, C, S, and Si isotope studies; developing new insights into the fine-scale isotopic variability of ancient samples using the new Wisc-SIMS ion microprobe facility.

Huifang Xu, Co-I (UW-Madison) hfxu@geology.wisc.edu
Investigations include studies of the surface and interior properties of minerals, with an emphasis on phase formation and reactivity of minerals in biologic and abiologic systems as studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (TEM), transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and computer modeling using density function theory (DFT).

Suvankar Chakraborty (University of Kentucky) schak4@uky.edu
Bulk and stable isotope geochemistry of mixed cation (Fe-Mg-Ca) carbonates.

John Fournelle (UW-Madison; Director, Electron Microprobe Lab and SEM Lab)
johnf@geology.wisc.edu
Micro-chemical analysis of minerals, evolution of volcanic rocks.

Brian Hess (UW-Madison; Director, Thin Section Lab) hess@geology.wisc.edu
Preparation of samples for micro-analytical work.

Nadine Kabengi (University of Kentucky, Plant and Soil Sciences Department, Assistant Research Professor)
nadine.kabengi@uky.edu

Jim Kern (UW-Madison; Wisc-SIMS Ion Microprobe Lab) jkern@geology.wisc.edu
Micro-analysis of isotopic compositions of natural materials, including O, Si, and Li isotopes.

Noriko Kita (UW-Madison; Director, Wisc-SIMS Ion Microprobe Lab)
noriko@geology.wisc.edu
Micro-isotopic analysis of terrestrial and extraterrestsrial samples, and development of new micro-analytical methods.

Randall Mielke (NASA-JPL, Caltech) Randall.E.Mielke@jpl.nasa.gov
Laboratory analysis of microbial pyrite oxidation and sulfate mineral formation.

Rich Slaughter (UW-Madison) rich@geology.wisc.edu
Director of Geology Museum.

Mike Spicuzza (UW-Madison; Stable Isotope Geochemistry Lab)
spicuzza@geology.wisc.edu
Specialization in laser-based fluorination methods for O isotope analysis; three-isotope O isotope analyis in terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples.

Karen Ziegler (UCLA) kziegler@ess.ucla.edu
Work on microbial pyrite oxidation in nature and the lab and sulfate mineral biosignature investigation.

Marco Blöthe (UW-Madison) mblothe@geology.wisc.edu
Microbial Fe cycling.

Andy Czaja (UW-Madison) aczaja@geology.wisc.edu
Evolution of metal-respiring bacteria in the Late Archean.

Hiromi Konishi (UW-Madison) hkonishi@wisc.edu
Nano-structured minerals as tracers of microbial activities.

Weiqiang Li (UW-Madison) wli@geology.wisc.edu
Magnesium stable isotope geochemistry of carbonates and sulfates.

Taka Ushikubo (UW-Madison) ushi@geology.wisc.edu
O, C and Li isotope studies of 4.4 to 3.0 Ga zircons and their diamond inclusions.

Ken Williford (UW-Madison) kwilliford@geology.wisc.edu
Carbon and S isotope variations in Archean rocks.

Lingling Wu (UW-Madison) lwu@geology.wisc.edu
Experimental studies of metal-respiring bacteria and fluid-oxide interactions.

Yang Yang (UW-Madison) yang8@wisc.edu
Computational molecular modeling of promoted mechanisms for Mg2+ incorporation into carbonates, as potential biosignatures.

Edward Greiner (UW-Madison) egreiner@wisc.edu
Adsorption of amino-acids on meteoritic minerals, to determine potential for delivery mechanisms of pre-biotic organic compounds to early Earth.

Andrew Honma (UW-Madison) ahonma@geology.wisc.edu
Microbial iron oxidation of basaltic rocks.

Jason Huberty (UW-Madison) jason@geology.wisc.edu
Structure and chemistry of nano-magnetite; mineral phases in BIFs.

James Ludois (UW-Madison) jludois@wisc.edu
Rb-Sr isotopes of BIFs and Mars meteorites; comparison of Fe
cycling in the Phanerozoic and Archean.

Ian Orland (UW-Madison) orland@geology.wisc.edu
O and C isotope studies of speleothems and Pleistocene paleoclimate.

Elizabeth Percak-Dennett (UW-Madison) lizpd@geology.wisc.edu
Coupled Fe-Si cycling during microbial diagenesis in Archean marine systems.

Jie Xu (UW-Madison) xujie@geology.wisc.edu
Extra-cellular polymeric substances and evolution of cellularity.

Fangfu Zhang (UW-Madison) fzhang@geology.wisc.edu
Origin of Mg in carbonates and influence of biological and non-biological and non-biological ligands in dolomite formation.

Mo Zhou (UW-Madison) mzhou22@wisc.edu
Research description pending.

Chunxiao Zhu (UW-Madison) czhu3@wisc.edu
Role of extracellular polymeric substances in providing protective shield to Gram positive bacteria against cytotoxicity of specific minerals in the environment.

Jill Banfield (UC Berkeley)
Nic Beukes (University of Johannesburg, South Africa)
Laurent Binet (Ecole Nationale Suprieure de Chimie de Paris, France)
Dave Blake (NASA-Ames
Jen Blank (NASA-Ames)
Aaron Cavosie (University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez)
Marjorie Chan (University of Utah)
Tianhu Chen (Heifei University of Technology, China)
H. James Cleaves (Carnegie Institute of Washington)
Sylvie Derenne (École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie, Paris, France)
Greg Druschel (University of Vermont)
Jason Dworkin (NASA-Goddard)
Jennifer Eigenbrode (NASA Goddard)
David Emerson (Bigelow Marine Laboratory)
James Farquhar (University of Maryland)
Kate Freeman (Penn State University)
Marilyn Fogel (Carnegie Institute)
Yuri Gorby (Venter Institute)
Geoff Holt (Madison Public School District)
Andreas Kappler (University of Tuebingen)
Kase Klein (University of New Mexico)
Kurt Konhauser (University of Alberta)
Concepcion Jimenez Lopez (Department of Microbiology, University of Granada, Spain)
George Luther (University of Delaware)
Jen Macalady (Penn State)
Craig Marshall (Sydney University)
Enrique Merino (Indiana University)
Stephen Moorbath (Oxford University, U.K.)
Alejandro Rodriguez Navarro (Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Granada, Spain)
Hiroshi Ohmoto (Penn State University)
Zeb Page (Oberlin)
Peir Pufahl (Acadia University)
Javier Sanchez (Spanish Geological Survey, Spain)
Edwin Schauble (UCLA)
Martin Schoonen (Stony Brook University)
Mark Sephton (Imperial College, London, U.K.)
Bruce Simonson (Oberlin)
Mitch Sogin (Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory)
Alan Treiman (NASA-LPI-JSC)
Martin Van Kranendonk (Geological Survey of Western Australia)
Ellen Van Pay (Green Bay School District, Green Bay, WI)
Yifeng Wang (Sandia National Laboratories)
Simon Wilde (Curtin University, Australia)
Kosei Yamaguchi (IFREE-JAMSTEC, Japan)
Ed Young (UCLA)

Emily Freeman (UW-Madison) M.S. degree
Role of microbes in formation of nano-magnetite and Fe-bearing smectite during weathering of basaltic rocks.

Teresa Perez Gonzalez (University of Granada, Spain) Ph.D. degree
Iron biomineralization and search for new criteria to distinguish between the inorganic or biogenic origin of magnetites.

Phillip Heck (UW-Madison) post-doctoral fellow
Applying micro-analysis of Si and O isotope compositions of natural materials especially Precambrian banded iron formations.

Adriana Heimann (UW-Madison) post-doctoral fellow
Origin of banded iron formations.

Heather Jordan (UW-Madison)
Assembly of "proto-cell" capable of encapsulated mineral-catalyed redox activity across lipid membrane.

Caroline Kirby (UW-Madison) B.S. degree
Microbial ecology of hypersaline lake sediments.

Reinhard Kozdon (UW-Madison) post-doctoral fellow
S and O isotope thermometry, genesis of Archean cherts.

Donald Mkhonto (UW-Madison) post-doctoral fellow
Molecular modeling of amino-acid adsorption on calcite.

Dayanidi Ortiz (UW-Madison) M.S. degree
Mineral inclusion in 4.0-4.2 Ga zircons, Jack Hills.

Mónica Sánchez-Román (University of Georgia) post-doctoral fellow
Origin of mixed-cation barbonates.

George Tangalos (UW-Madison) M.S. degree
Microbial Fe reduction and Fe isotope fractionation in sediments.

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