Our research in clay formation mechanisms focuses on the interface between a primary mineral and the solution as the mineral surface is first amorphized and then converted into a clay. Alternatively, a direct precipitation pathway is considered. We are interested in determining what conditions are necessary for clay formation to occur and how do changes in the reaction environment affect clay formation.

Our current research is mainly focused on the formation and/or transformation of Fe-bearing minerals and how these reactions affect the availability of nutrients (e.g., C_org, P, Si) and mobility of contaminants (e.g., As, Cr, Pb, Se) in natural and engineered environments.

We are evaluating snow and ice algal communities, and their associated microbiome (i.e. bacteria, archaea, fungi) in various Arctic and Alpine settings by using a multi-disciplinary approach. We are also conducting high-throughput sequencing to reveal community compositions and dynamics as well as using a metabolomics approach to understand how their metabolome responds to changing environmental conditions.

One of our current projects in this research theme aims to elucidate the homogeneous and heterogeneous crystallization pathways of struvite (MgNH₄PO₄·6H2O) – a prime magnesium phosphate mineral that can be recovered from wastewaters.

In this project, we apply the scattering methods: small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and total scattering (with pair distribution function (PDF) analysis) to study the formation and transformation pathways of various mineral phases from solutions.

In this project, we aim to understand how to minimize or exploit beam effect in the liquid cell to visualize the dynamic processes that occurs at the nanoscale in native mineral/solution interfaces.

DEEP PURPLE is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grant. This project aims to establish the factors that control ice algal blooms that contribute to the darkening of the Greenland Ice Sheet, and ultimately the rapid melting of the ice sheet. DEEP PURPLE will quantify the synergies between the biology, chemistry and physics of ice algae micro-niches in rotting, melting ice, and examine the combination of factors which stabilize them.

Project period: 2020-2025

EXCITE (Electron and X-ray microscopy Community for structural and chemical Imaging Techniques for Earth materials) is funded by Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructures. This project brings together 15 leading institutions across Europe that develop and use electron and X-ray imaging techniques for Earth science applications.

Project period: 2021-2024

The aim of the project is to improve our understanding on how different additives used in gypsum board formulations affect the kinetics and mechanisms of gypsum crystallization and the microstructure of the resulting gypsum matrix. This project is in collaboration with ETEX.

Project period: 2022-2025