lab combo
“We make our world significant by the courage
of our questions and the depth of our answers.“
Carl Sagan

No specific vacancies with the group are currently advertised
but please read because other pathways to work together are possible.

Possible research projects
Interested and enthusiastic candidates are encouraged to get in touch to discuss their relevant ideas for exciting research projects! I’m sure you bring some great thoughts, which you can potentially shape into a 1 to 2 page proposal. In particular, as a geo/cosmochemist and dominantly hot (melt) and/or deep rock lady I am keen to hear from eager undergraduate or masters students concerning their thesis projects, Ph.D candidates, and postdoctoral researchers. Particularly those keen to interrogate natural samples to reveal new knowledge via original studies that use:

  • petrographic / optical microscopy,
  • mineralogical characterisation,
  • [inorganic] element abundance systematics,
  • and isotopic geochemical characteritics of favourite kinds of natural earth and planetary rocks (+ their constituent minerals).  
    +/- field work where required.
    Contact form or email ariches [AT] setiap.org    Glasgow-based, Scotland, UK

Chiefly as applied to precious natural rocks (+/- soils, or dust) from space and materials from-, or able to probe, Earth’s interior. With scope for some intellectual work that purposefully compares-contrasts selected sites on Earth to important aspects of planetary research. 

Established expertise includes designing and driving advances in- and applying ultra-low-blank highly siderophile element geochemistry with associated high-precision isotopic tracers.

Please also get in touch if you are an academic or group/professional body interested in realising larger ventures. Such as via partner or network grants, including bilateral or multilateral programmes with planet formation / solar system science and space mission connections, and/or via European COFUND actions.
Also, open to contributing to public engagement / creative communication activities.

Earth in space

The overarching goal of our laboratory-based work is – How do habitable (Earth-like) worlds form and evolve? 

Planned work falls under or cross-cuts the following broad themes:

  • Asteroids and the infant stages of planetary growth (as constrained by meteorites +/- returned samples)
  • The geological characteristics, processes, and history of the Moon
  • The geologic evolution and environments of Mars (and Phobos)
  • Comparative planetology
  • The interior and bulk composition, and long-term (chemical/geodynamic) evolution of Earth
    (Largely drawing on messages among ultramafic and mafic rock series alongside integration of big-picture appraisals of empirical geochemical data and arising models, with possibilities to include scientifically powerful examples among Scotland’s geology and to compare to understanding from wider planetary / Solar System science.)
  • Plus, if feasible, I accomodate support of collaborative work on wider projects and coordinated initiatives.

Thank you to prior funders. Scroll down for a list of possible funders to your research ideas.

For example, questions can link to -> Precisely how are Earth and planetary magmas generated from what exact starting materials at what depth, and what forms of residue do they leave? And how do magmas evolve as they seperate from the residue left behind, travel, and crystallise? How do these types of processes and the recipe for Earth (including possible traces of core formation, past magma oceans, and a final few percent added during so-called ‘late accretion’) compare or contrast to other bodies in the Solar System, and why? If late-accretion is a robust theory, is it important to habitability and the life in our Solar System? How is the information we provided understood and used (well) to understand the construction and modification of rocky bodies through impacts? How has, and does, planetary magmatism shaped the evolution of planetary atmospheres and envionments? What can our observations also tell us of the nature and rhythmn(s) of crust-mantle evolution and consequent effects for surface settings, (+/-bio)geochemical cycles, the rise and evolution of life and – for Earth – civilsation?

The analytical expertise, ways of thinking, and theoretical frameworks that team members specialise in have broad applications, and the skills you develop as part of this team will appeal to a range of future employers that students and early career postdoctoral colleagues may be interested in.

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Understanding of geological processes, geochemical cycles, planet-scale compositions and their long-term evolution is foundational to broad Planetary, Earth, Environmental and Sciences – which help us save the world from the climate crisis whilst exploring and progressing knowledge of our Solar System.

Our work also connects with international cross-discipline strategic and responsible activity, mission designs, and governance in space exploration – a driver of frontier knowledge, as well as inventions / innovations useful to tackling challenges and supporting healthy lives on Earth. And our original findings and ideas, along with consequent mandates that drive wider community progress, inform the broad concepts for understanding more distant worlds (exoplanets) and searches for possible life elsewhere across the cosmos. Plus, our work, stewardship, and community thought spans humanities, cultural, creative, health, heritage, ethical and legal aspects.

Yamato 984028

False colour composition map and transmitted light image depicts Martian meteorite Yamato 984028, Riches et al 2011.

Interested students and others

Interested Early Career Fellows and others

Please be aware that for a number of Fellowships and learned society Visitor applications, internal competition (“demand management”) usually applies before proposals are selected for preparation in full. Interested students, visitors and Fellows may, in some instances, also identify funding pathways through their home national academies and other grant award bodies.

Donors

Are you fortunate enough to be able to help support promising students and exciting rocky science?
Potential philanthropic donors (businesses, groups, families, or individuals) are encouraged to get in touch if interested in sponsoring scholarships, a little (or a lot) of help for student research experiences or conference attendance, or other assistance for team members in need in higher education and research.  Contact form. Thank you.

Triton_6

NOTE: If interested in engaging me for other work on a contractual basis
I will provide a quote based on information provided. 
Please mark your message “consultancy request”.

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