Sandra Rodrigues

Dr Sandra Rodrigues is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the School of the Environment, University of Queensland. Her research focuses on coal petrology, carbon materials, and geochemistry, with emphasis on thermal maturation, organic geochemistry, and coal seam gas potential. She has authored over 60 peer-reviewed articles, contributing to global understanding of coal structure, hydrocarbon generation pathways, and applications in energy and environmental sectors.

Her work spans coal characterization via hyperspectral imaging, coking behavior analysis, and high-temperature material transformation studies. Key projects include investigations into the Toolebuc Formation’s unconventional gas potential and thermal evolution in Mozambique’s Moatize Basin. Rodrigues collaborates internationally on coal classification systems (e.g., ICCP Working Groups) and has pioneered deep learning applications in coal reflectance measurement.

Recent research highlights include studies on lithium-enriched coals in China, Jurassic fluid events in Australian basins, and carbon isotope evidence of methane clathrate release during deglaciation. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges geology, chemistry, and engineering, addressing challenges in resource characterization, environmental management, and energy sustainability.