Principal Investigator
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Dr. Ny Riavo Voarintsoa
Assistant Professor Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences 3507 Cullen Boulevard, Rm 328A University of Houston TX 77204, USA |
PaleoGeochem group gathering. This is our very first group social gathering (Fall 2022). We have a very enthusiastic and passionate group members, and PaleoGeochem is lucky to have each one of them. (Credit: Gabriel Lopez)
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PaleoGeochem group gathering. This is a photo taken in December 2024, after successful defense of three MSc students, and celebrating the end of Fall 2024 semester.
(Credit: Michael Lukas)
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Current Students
PhD students
Ali Raza is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Texas under the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor Ph.D. Scholarship Program.
His current PhD research is using hyperspectral imaging to understand mineral variations within stalagmites.
More about Ali, check his website.
His current PhD research is using hyperspectral imaging to understand mineral variations within stalagmites.
More about Ali, check his website.
Debra Bailey is a Ph.D. student at the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Texas.
Her current PhD research is using synthetic carbonates (biogenically and abiogenically grown) to understand isotope fractionations.
Undergraduate Students
Madeline Tompson is an undergraduate student at the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Texas.
She will be completing a Honors Thesis starting in Fall 2025 focusing on understanding isotopic signatures and epikarst residence time using cave-analog experiments.
Gabrielle Eskew is an undergraduate student at the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Texas.
She is assisting in preparing various carbonate standards and unknown carbonate samples for analytical measurements using the Tunable Infrared Laser Direct Absorption Spectroscopy (TILDAS).
Zachary Carter is an undergraduate student at the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, Texas.
He will be working on studying carbonates from Central Texas to understand modern aridity records using triple oxygen isotopes.
Zach's project is in collaboration with Dr. Banner's group at UT Austin.
Research Group Alumni
Postdoc
Dr. Sugandha Panwar. (2022-2023), Studying lake sediments from Madagascar to understand late Holocene climate and anthropogenic signatures.
Graduate students
Gabriel E. Lopéz (MSc. Fall 2024). Thesis: Modern calibration of oxygen isotope proxy for paleoclimate interpretations in Cueva Ensueño (Dream Cave), Hatillo, Puerto Rico
>>> Received Sheriff Lecture 3rd Place in Adv. Geology Poster Presentation (Fall 2023)
>>> Received the Geological Society of America Student Travel Grant (Fall 2023)
Current position: Geoscience Intern, Hilcorp Energy in Houston
Daniel Ragusa (MSc. Fall 2024). Thesis: Tracking The Water pH and Atmospheric CO2 Evolution During Synthetic Carbonate Precipitation.
>>> Received UHEAS research Grant (Fall 2024)
>>> Received Sheriff Lecture 1st Place in Adv. Geology Poster Presentation (Fall 2024)
Arya Tilak (MSc. Fall 2024). Thesis: Reconstructing late Pleistocene-early Holocene paleoclimate using stalagmite from the Rodrigues Island, Southwest Indian Ocean.
>>> Received UHEAS Research Grant to understand paleoclimate context of the Late Quaternary Extinction in the Rodrigues Islands.
Current position: Junior Geochemist, Alt Carbon Tech, Bengaluru, IN
Hallie Fowler (MSc. Spring 2023). Thesis: Developing LA-ICP-MS Data Set In Stalagmites As Paleoclimate Indicators: Case Of Anjokipoty Cave, Northwestern Madagascar.
Current position: Geologist, Core Laboratories
Ariel Wilkie. Thesis: Cave analog experiments to assess the Mg:Ca evolution from drip water to carbonate (expected Spring 2023)—unfortunately she passed on Nov 2022
>>> Received Sheriff Lecture 3rd Place in Adv. Geology Poster Presentation (Fall 2023)
>>> Received the Geological Society of America Student Travel Grant (Fall 2023)
Current position: Geoscience Intern, Hilcorp Energy in Houston
Daniel Ragusa (MSc. Fall 2024). Thesis: Tracking The Water pH and Atmospheric CO2 Evolution During Synthetic Carbonate Precipitation.
>>> Received UHEAS research Grant (Fall 2024)
>>> Received Sheriff Lecture 1st Place in Adv. Geology Poster Presentation (Fall 2024)
Arya Tilak (MSc. Fall 2024). Thesis: Reconstructing late Pleistocene-early Holocene paleoclimate using stalagmite from the Rodrigues Island, Southwest Indian Ocean.
>>> Received UHEAS Research Grant to understand paleoclimate context of the Late Quaternary Extinction in the Rodrigues Islands.
Current position: Junior Geochemist, Alt Carbon Tech, Bengaluru, IN
Hallie Fowler (MSc. Spring 2023). Thesis: Developing LA-ICP-MS Data Set In Stalagmites As Paleoclimate Indicators: Case Of Anjokipoty Cave, Northwestern Madagascar.
Current position: Geologist, Core Laboratories
Ariel Wilkie. Thesis: Cave analog experiments to assess the Mg:Ca evolution from drip water to carbonate (expected Spring 2023)—unfortunately she passed on Nov 2022
Undergraduate students
Daniel Ragusa, Spring 2022, performed carbonate (calcite, aragonite, dolomite) laboratory experiments. Ragusa joined the PaleoGeochem lab as a MSc. student and graduated in Fall 2024.
Leo Collier, Spring 2022, performed carbonate (calcite, aragonite, dolomite) laboratory experiments. Collier is currently a MSc. student with Dr. Khan at UHEAS.
Leo Collier, Spring 2022, performed carbonate (calcite, aragonite, dolomite) laboratory experiments. Collier is currently a MSc. student with Dr. Khan at UHEAS.
International Students
Antsa Lal’Aina Johanna Ratovonanahary, independent study, Univ. of Antananarivo, Madagascar. “Understanding cave responses to its surrounding environmental changes: a test for prior calcite precipitation via cave monitoring”.
>>>> Awarded an Ikala STEM Research Grant
Joel Crusoé Tovonjanahary, MSc. June 2021, Univ. of Antananarivo, Madagascar. “Paleoenvironmental reconstruction using mineralogy and petrography of speleothems”. (Co-advised)
Avotriniaina Zafitafika Miandrisoa Rakotovao, MSc. December 2020, Univ. of Antananarivo, Madagascar. “Caractérisation et classification de l’environnement karstique de la grotte d’Anjohikipoty par couplage de méthodes géochimique et appui du SIG à la détermination des sites”. (Co-advised)
>>>> Received the Geological Society of Madagascar Presidential Thesis Award 2020
Elena Leclercq, MSc. June 2020, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium “A multiproxy approach to reconstruct the paleo-environment in Madagascar using lake sediments”. (Co-advised)
Stellina Cynthia Andriatiana, MSc. June 2019, Univ. of Antananarivo, Madagascar. “Investigating groundwater and surface water quality in the urban site of Mahitsy of the Analamanga region, Central Madagascar”. (Co-advised)
>>>> Awarded an Ikala STEM Research Grant
Joel Crusoé Tovonjanahary, MSc. June 2021, Univ. of Antananarivo, Madagascar. “Paleoenvironmental reconstruction using mineralogy and petrography of speleothems”. (Co-advised)
Avotriniaina Zafitafika Miandrisoa Rakotovao, MSc. December 2020, Univ. of Antananarivo, Madagascar. “Caractérisation et classification de l’environnement karstique de la grotte d’Anjohikipoty par couplage de méthodes géochimique et appui du SIG à la détermination des sites”. (Co-advised)
>>>> Received the Geological Society of Madagascar Presidential Thesis Award 2020
Elena Leclercq, MSc. June 2020, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium “A multiproxy approach to reconstruct the paleo-environment in Madagascar using lake sediments”. (Co-advised)
Stellina Cynthia Andriatiana, MSc. June 2019, Univ. of Antananarivo, Madagascar. “Investigating groundwater and surface water quality in the urban site of Mahitsy of the Analamanga region, Central Madagascar”. (Co-advised)