This page contains an overview of my research and the various projects that I’m either currently involved in or have been involved in previously.
Research interests
I have very broad interests, ranging from climate change and the evolution of life to geological and processes that shape the surface of the Earth. However, the two topics that appeal to me most are ‘carbon’ and ‘temperature’ and their numerous interactions, both at our planet’s surface and in the subsurface. Within this scope, I have worked on a number of different projects.
PhD Project
The aim of my PhD project at Utrecht University was to reconstruct the carbon cycle evolution of the Cenozoic, with a particular focus on the Eocene greenhouse world and the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO). I found this research subject at the intersection of the geochemistry, paleoceanography and paleoclimatology disciplines very fascinating. First, I studied the behavior of the silicate weathering thermostat in relation to changes in atmospheric CO2 concentrations and ocean temperatures using a suite of geochemical techniques. In addition, I investigated shifts in marine carbonate and trace element chemistry over the course of the Cenozoic using mass balance models.
Past projects
During my BSc and MSc studies, I have been involved in several other research projects. These include:
- Plant diversity and biogeography across the Permian-Triassic boundary (MSc Thesis)
- Temperature reconstructions in the Netherlands during the Eemian (KNAW Research Traineeship)
- Astronomically-paced climate change in the Mediterranean region during the Pleistocene (BSc Thesis)