Principles of Isotope Geochemistry in Earth, Environmental, and Life Sciences

When: 17–18 November 2020.

Where: British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG.

Presenters: Prof Adrian Boyce, Dr Joseph Emmings, Dr Matthew Horstwood, Dr Jack Lacey, Dr Angela Lamb, Prof Melanie Leng, Dr Rona McGill, Dr Jason Newton, Dr Nick Roberts, Dr Andrew Smith, Dr Mario Tuthorn.

The aim of this short course is to give PhD students an introduction to the use of isotopes (mainly stable isotopes) in earth, environmental, and life sciences research.

The training will cover:

  • General principles of stable isotope geochemistry and the application of isotope ratio mass spectrometry
  • Data validation and uncertainty assessment in isotope geochemistry to critically evaluate data and their interpretation
  • Application of stable isotope geochemistry in limnogeology, palaeoceanography, speleothem, and science-based archaeology
  • Isotope analysis of biological tissues to elucidate food webs and animal migration
  • Isotopes as tracers of nutrient cycles within both aquatic and soil systems, informing on sources of environmental pollution and past environmental change
  • Application of stable isotope geochemistry to a variety of geological settings, including volcano-magmatic systems, ore deposits, and geothermal systems
  • Application of stable isotope geochemistry to the sedimentary rock record in order to assess hydrocarbon and mineral resource potential
  • Dating techniques that can be applied to deep time materials.

A tour of the National Environmental Isotope Facility at the British Geological Survey will be included. Participants will be able to discuss their research objectives and challenges with facility staff.

Registration

Please note the course maximum is 30 participants and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you are not a PhD student and would like to attend the course, please get in touch before registering.

For enquiries, please contact: Dr Jack Lacey