Team

Following people are funded by the ERC MEET project:

Principal Investigators


Alexander Sobolev

Corresponding PI
UGA
Petrology, geochemistry and geodynamic of Earth’s mantle over time, with a particular interest in olivines and their inclusions.
> Webpage


John Valley

Co-PI
MSN
John Valley applies petrology and geochemistry to understand the evolution of Earth’s crust with particular interest to zircons and their inclusions.
> Webpage


Stephan Sobolev

Co-PI
GFZ
I’m using numerical thermo-mechanical models in global and regional scales to decipher physical processes controlling origin and evolution of subduction and plate tectonics on Earth, and evolution of the Earth’s chemical composition through time.
> Webpage




Associated Scientists


Renat Almeev

LUH
Zircon-hosted glass inclusion homogenization at high PT in an IHPV apparatus.
> Webpage


Nick Arndt

UGA
I work on komatiites, how they formed and how they crystallized; and on formation of the Archean continental crust in subduction settings.


Annie Bauer

MSN
Annie’s expertise is in the application of geochronology and radiogenic isotope geochemistry. She is interested in early crustal evolution and tectonic styles.
> Webpage





Valentina Batanova

UGA
Research Engineer
Management and support of IMAP analytical equipment, development of analytical methods for electron microprobe (JEOL JXA-iHP200F) and LA-ICP-MS (Agilent 8900 - coupled with RESolution SE). Developments of new reference materials for in-situ microanalysis.
> Webpage




Tyler Blum

MSN
I am interested in geochemistry, geochronology, and the evolution of crustal systems over a wide range of timescales; as part of the MEET team, I am involved in the development and application of trace element and isotope characterization methods.
> Webpage




Jean Braun

GFZ
With Hannah Davies, I am working on the development and use of a planetary scale landscape evolution model to compute the sedimentary flux into subduction systems at various periods in Earth’s history as a function of plate interactions and climate erosional corrosiveness.




Sascha Brune

GFZ
Contributing to numerical modelling of mantle convection.
> Webpage




Fabrice Brunet

CNRS
Trace-element distribution, crystal-chemistry and stability of spinel-group minerals
> Webpage




Carole Cordier

UGA
In the MEET project, I work on the Cambrio-Ordovician ophiolitic section preserved at Chamrousse (External Crystalline Massif, Alps), revisiting the U/Pb zircon geochronology of the ophiolite and studying how minor/trace elements in zircon grains do remain reliable petrogenetic indicators despite of subsequent HT° and BT° metamorphism.
> Webpage




Georg Feulner

PIK
I am interested in deep-time paleoclimate modelling; within the MEET project, I am working with Julius Eberhard and our GFZ colleagues to study interactions between climate and plate tectonics in Earth’s history.
> Webpage




François Holtz

LUH
Zircon-hosted glass inclusion homogenization at high PT in an IHPV apparatus
> Webpage




Kouki Kitajima

MSN
Contributing to Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) analysis.
> Webpage




Postdoctoral fellows


Hannah Davies

GFZ
I am developing and using the Fastscape landscape evolution model initially written by Jean Braun to compute erosion rate of continental landmasses to quantify sediment flux to the continental margin and subduction zones throughout Earth history.
> Webpage


Charitra Jain

GFZ
Global-scale numerical modelling of Earth’s evolution with a focus on continent formation, initiation of plate tectonics, and crustal recycling
> Webpage


in hiring process - start in January 2025

MSN




Michael Pons

GFZ
Developing comprehensive numerical geodynamic models that couple regional and global-scale geodynamic models with surface processes throughout Earth’s history to enhance our understanding of plate tectonic evolution.
> Webpage




Adrien Vezinet

UGA
Geochemical reservoirs: from early Earth to present-day / Effect of metamorphism onto the chemical and isotopic signatures at both the whole-rock and the crystal scale / Rates of crystallization in natural media
> Webpage




in hiring process - start in January 2025

MSN




PhD Students


Aleksander Chugunov

UGA
I’m working on the model of the evolution of the Archean mantle composition, applying petrology and geochemistry methods to understand magmatic events from 3.27 Ga komatiites of Weltevreden Formation, Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa.


Julius Eberhard

PIK
Using numerical and conceptual models, I am investigating the role of climate and its interactions with erosion and plate tectonics after “Snowball Earth” events and over the course of Earth’s long-term evolution.
> Webpage


Matéo Esteban

UGA
I am interested in the origin of the Siberian trap’s meimechites (ca. 251 My) which are one of the most magnesian melts of the Phanerozoic era. I am using olivine-hosted melt inclusions to retrieve their primary melt composition and their source characteristics.




Engineers


Valérie Magnin

CNRS
Engineer


Mike Spicuzza

MSN
Senior Instrumental Technician
I support the sample preparation, instrument maintenance and logistical support for the MEET group at the University of Wisconsin.
> Webpage




Project Management


Carole Burget

UGA
Project facilitator in charge of budget monitoring, coordination and contribution to EU reporting, contractual issues, project dissemination, events’organization and HR issues


With the support of Angélique Carrara (Communication), Zoubida El Ghiyati (Expenses and Travel) and Fabienne Carlesso (Human Ressources).


Alumni

Blas Barbera

UGA, Master student, June 2023 - September 2023

Laura Crisp

UGA, Posdoc, -> July 2024

Ekatarina Diadkina

UGA, Research engineer, March 2023 - March 2024

Daria Gavrilenko

UGA, Assistant engineer, May 2021 - March 2023

Maxim Gavrilenko

UGA, Postdoc, November 2020 - February 2023

Josef Gonzalez

MSN, PostDoc, ->June 2024

Jeff Hannon

MSN, Postdoc, November 2021 - June 2022

Charbel Kazzy

UGA, PhD Student, November 2020 - June 2024

Elodie Kendall

GFZ, Postdoc, November 2020 - May 2021

Valentine Milloud

UGA, Master student, February 2022 - July 2022

Emily Mixon

MSN, PhD Student, ->August 2024

Clara Pege

UGA, Master student, January 2023 - July 2023

Katie Robinson

MSN, Scientist, November 2020 - October 2021

Kei Shimizu

MSN, Postdoc, ->December 2023

Ihor Stepanenko

UGA, Master student, June 2023 - August 2023