Jelle Bijma

Prof. Dr. Jelle Bijma is a senior scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), specializing in Marine Biogeosciences and Paleoceanography. His primary affiliation is within the Proxy Research department, focusing on biomineralization processes and geochemical proxies in foraminifera. Dr. Bijma's research interests include carbon cycle perturbations, ocean acidification, and paleoclimatology, with a strong emphasis on developing proxies to reconstruct past environmental conditions.

• Affiliations: Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven.
• Roles: Coordinator of the HGF graduate school POLMAR, Member of the IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) advisory board.

His work integrates microscopy, geochemical analysis, and live experiments to study foraminifera biomineralization pathways, particularly under ocean acidification scenarios. Key contributions include studies on Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and boron isotope systems in planktic and benthic foraminifera, as well as the impact of environmental changes on calcification processes. Dr. Bijma also investigates lithogenic element incorporation (e.g., Ba, Li) in foraminiferal tests to refine paleoenvironmental reconstructions.

Recent projects involve exploring deep-sea foraminifera behavior under in situ pressure conditions and developing novel biogeochemical proxies for pH and salinity. His research frequently employs cutting-edge techniques such as femtosecond laser ablation and high-resolution imaging to unravel microstructural and geochemical signatures in marine calcifiers.