معرفی
Dr. Aubrey Lea Zerkle is an Honorary Reader in the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of St Andrews. She leads the quadruple sulfur isotope analytical facilities in the St Andrews Stable Isotope Group and is Co-PI of the Peter James Clark Centre for Philosophical Geobiology. Her research focuses on the co-evolution of life and planetary environments, particularly in early Earth and extraterrestrial settings.
Academic Background:
- PhD in Geosciences (2006), NSF-IGERT Biogeochemical Research Program, Pennsylvania State University
- MSc in Geology with Geomicrobiology (2001), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- BSc in Geology (1999), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- NERC Research Fellow (2010-2013), Newcastle University
- Post-doctoral Researcher and Lab Manager (2006-2010), University of Maryland
Research Interests: Her work centers on three pillars: (1) developing stable isotope biosignatures for microbial activity on Earth and beyond, (2) studying biogeochemical processes in extreme environments as analogs for ancient Earth and Mars, and (3) investigating feedback mechanisms during major Earth history events like the Great Oxidation Event and mass extinctions. She employs a multidisciplinary approach integrating stable isotope geochemistry, microbiology, and numerical modeling.
Grants & Projects: She has led projects funded by NERC and the Science & Technology Facilities Council, including studies on Mars analog systems, Archean atmospheric chemistry, and the Great Oxidation Event. Current initiatives explore biosignature detection in extraterrestrial environments and feedbacks between planetary systems.
Labs/Teams: Leads the St Andrews Stable Isotope Group and co-leads the interdisciplinary Peter James Clark Centre for Philosophical Geobiology.
