Damien Freitas

Damien Freitas is a Research Fellow in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on developing experimental apparatus for in-situ characterization of geological materials under extreme conditions, including high pressure and temperature environments. He specializes in 4D synchrotron imaging techniques to study metamorphic reactions, rock deformation, and hydrogen displacement in porous media. Key contributions include the Heitt Mjölnir triaxial deformation apparatus and studies on melt layers at Earth’s mantle transition zones.

Education: PhD (2019) and MSc (2016) in Earth Science from Université Clermont Auvergne, France. His work aligns with UN SDG 7 (Affordable Clean Energy) through advancements in subsurface energy resource understanding.

Research Interests: High-pressure experiments, synchrotron tomography, metamorphic processes, and reactive materials. Collaborations include Diamond Light Source, Swiss Light Source, and institutions across Europe.

Awards: EMPRESS Student Presentation Award (2018), 1st Poster Prize at The 6th Annual Workshop on Advances in X-ray Imaging (2023). Active in international conferences like EGU and AGU.

Grants/Projects: Principal Investigator on the UoMaH project (2020–present), advancing nanoparticle and meso-porosity research. Involved in developing novel instrumentation for in-situ material analysis.

Labs/Teams: Member of the Extremes Group and the University of Manchester’s High-Pressure Research Unit. Works closely with synchrotron facilities globally.