Amy J. V. Riches
c. 2021, Meeting Info – Forming and Exploring Habitable Worlds.
Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail (and see who joins in!).
Earth and Planetary Scientist, Isotope Cosmo/Geochemist, and Petrologist
CV
Scholar ORCID Researcher ID
Research goal: How do habitable (Earth-like) worlds form and evolve?
CAREER SUMMARY
I am passionate about my work that seeks to understand how habitable worlds came to be, and where they can be found in and beyond our Solar System. My contributions generally draw on foundations of petrographic, petrological, and geochemical studies and have a strong focus on magmatic processes and the nature of planetary interiors. The approaches that I take drive forward frontier knowledge because they involve conceiving and realising a number of world first of their kind studies. Projects such as books that I am authoring, edited volumes and meetings that I have led, as well as their intentions to disseminate knowledge widely while actively fostering and promoting inclusion and diversity, are among factors benefiting the scientific community. A body of workers that must exchange knowledge widely, and elevate awareness of key matters so as to ‘make a difference’ while drawing from all possible talent pools.
Students supervised / mentored include:
- Co-Supervisor to Mr Nicola Mari, Ph.D candidate 2016-. Link
“Understanding the formation and evolution of Mars.”
Ph.D thesis completed via publication and submitted during September 2019.
Recipient of the Meteoritical Society’s 2019 Brian Mason Award. - Chao Wang. Visiting Chinese Doctoral Scholar, U of Durham, UK – completed 2017.
Now Lecturer at China University of Geosciences, Beijing.
- Katie Singer. Planetary Science Ph.D , U of TN, USA – completed 2016.
Now Senior Policy Analyst for the U of TN’s Office of Institutional Research.
- Laura Brin. MSc, U of Alberta, Canada – successful 2016.
- Further, I have supported the training of a number of other excellent and successful doctoral, masters-level, and undergraduate students who have gone on to a range of careers that they love. I thoroughly enjoy embedding independence and getting the best out of others.
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I have taken a non-linear path with respect to academia, and have 6 years of postdoctoral research employ in leading laboratories in the USA, Canada, and Europe of benefit to my long-term academic career. During this time I have raised and managed significant external grant funding as PI / Co-I. These monies include a recent award of a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship. CV
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS AND A FEW MARKS OF ESTEEM
- Contributions of knowledge and identification of new research questions -> Publications and dissemination. Link
- 2019. Invited interview for the career profile series of the American Astronomical Society’s Committee on the Status of the Women in Astronomy. Link
- 2016-2017. I conceived and served as Lead / Managing Guest Editor, Special Issue of Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Vol. 216. “Highly Siderophile Element Constraints on Earth and Planetary Processes”. One of only ~20 GCA thematic SIs over the history of this journal of the Geochemical and Meteoritical societies, where virtually all other SIs were led by Full Professors. Over 30 manuscripts handled, 22 articles accepted to the SI, and processing completed in a 12 month period.
- 2015-2016. I conceived, funded as PI, and drove as Chair, the 4th International Workshop on Highly Siderophile Element Geochemistry. Attended by over 75 delegates from all over the globe. Refer to the activities section.
- 2014-. Awarded a Waitt Grant as PI by the National Geographic Society and then led an important expedition into the heart of New Zealand’s Southern Alps funded by this key grant. These activities also served to nucleate a major multi-national collaboration to complete studies with the potential to open many new interdisciplinary research questions that could reshape a field of study.
- 2013. One of four Members of the Local Organising Committee, 76th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, Edmonton, Canada.
Meeting Chair, Prof. Chris Herd (U of Alberta). Other team members = Assoc. Prof. Erin Walton-Hauck, and Prof. Rob Hilts (both MacEwan University). - Over 30 invited talks / seminars and full-theatre public presentations on the international stage since 2009, and in addition to numerous conference presentations (both talks and posters) all over the globe.
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I was the first member of my extended family to attend university, and to be considered able to in a pragmatic sense; it has proven to be so much fun that I have stayed in the system. Whatever your background and path through life, being fortunate in education and dedication to your passions can provide for all kinds of opportunities the world over.
I’m sorry I know so little. I’m sorry we all know so little.
But that’s kind of the fun, isn’t it?
Vera Rubin
There is no cure for curiosity.
Member of the Meteoritical Society, Geochemical Society, European Association of Geochemistry, American Geophysical Union, Marie Curie Alumni Association, Royal Astronomical Society [Fellow], and Royal Society of Chemistry.
My other interests include a cat called Ninja, crafts, walks and basketball.
CONTACT ME:
