I am a biogeochemist using interdisciplinary approaches (with methods borrowed from biology, geology and chemistry) to solve complex environmental questions related to biogeochemical cycles. Before becoming an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics I completed a postdoc at the University Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris followed by a postdoc at the ETH Zurich. I obtained my Masters’ degree and a PhD from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (Bremen, Germany). My research interests focus on “cryptic” biogeochemical processes that are easily overlooked by traditional analyses involving the quantification of reaction intermediates or end products over time. I believe that steady-state concentrations of certain redox species may arise from the balance between ongoing oxidation and reduction reactions, and that their rapid turnover plays a central role in the environment by feeding active and diverse microbial communities.
PostDocs
I am an environmental engineer specialized in remediation techniques. During my PhD at Politecnico di Milano, I focused on the modeling of fluid mechanics and geochemical processes in subsurface systems and uncertainty quantification. During my post-doc at The University of Sydney and now at UNIL, I got passionate about microbially mediated processes. I use microfluidics experiments and modeling to decipher the impact of micro-scale biogeochemical dynamics on macroscopic ecosystem phenomena and water remediation techniques. Find out more about me and my research on my website.
I am a geobiologist focused on redox evolution in a range of spatio-temporal scales. My research focuses on feedbacks between the biosphere and physical Earth, including ocean and atmosphere evolution. My research is best informed by interdisciplinary data, including stable isotopes, microbiology, and mineralogy, reflecting my holistic approach to solving scientific questions. Currently, I am applying my expertise to explore hidden links between Fe mineralogy and the anaerobic oxidation of methane. I am using the beautiful Swiss lakes as my study sites!
Master Students
Laura Cottet-moine
I am currently doing a research internship at the Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics at Unil linked with a master in environmental chemistry from the university of Toulon. My internship subject concerns the anaerobic oxidation of methane by iron in Swiss lakes. This internship allows me to acquire new biogeochemical and analytical techniques, like iron speciation and DNA extraction from sediments. I am supervised by Jasmine Berg and Alice Bosco Santos, who share their extensive knowledge and methodology.
Alumni