Jotis Baronas

Dr. Jotis Baronas serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University, where his research investigates biogeochemical processes governing Earth's surface environment. He employs interdisciplinary approaches combining field studies, lab experiments, and modeling to quantify rock-water interactions across spatial and temporal scales—from ocean floor sediments to major river basins—with implications for landscape evolution, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation.

His academic background includes a PhD and MS in Earth Sciences from the University of Southern California (2011-2017) and a BSc in Chemistry from Jacobs University Bremen (2008-2011), followed by postdoctoral research at Cambridge University (2017-2020) and a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (2021-2023).

Baronas specializes in Biogeochemistry, Critical Zone Science, and Isotope Geochemistry, focusing on mineral-water reactions (weathering/diagenesis) using elemental and isotopic tracers (Si, Ge, C, S, Sr, Nd). Current research examines silicate weathering in glacial systems, silicon cycling in global catchments, and carbon fluxes in tropical rivers, with projects spanning Iceland, Southeast Asia, South America, and the Arctic. His work emphasizes how hydrology and soil processes control biogeochemical reactions through innovative tracer development.

Analysis of his recent publications (2016-2024) reveals consistent focus on geochemical tracer applications across river systems, particularly germanium/silicon isotopes and sulfur cycling. Key themes include quantifying weathering rates, carbon budgets in large basins, and anthropogenic impacts like damming, with field sites from the Himalayas to the Amazon. His methodological integration of field, lab, and modeling approaches advances process-based understanding of Earth's critical zone.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship (2021-2023)
• Keynote at Isotopes in Biogenic Silica conference (2022)

He actively mentors graduate students and serves on PhD committees (e.g., Yi Hou at Rice University). Current funded projects comprise:

• PI: EU H2020 MSCA grant on hydrology-soil processes in silicate weathering
• Co-I: NERC-funded research on carbon/sediment fluxes in major river basins
• Co-PI: Durham-Uppsala Seedcorn Grant studying sulfur-carbon coupling in boreal landscapes

Baronas collaborates extensively with Durham, Cambridge, Rice University, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Uppsala University, and the ObsERA Critical Zone observatory, conducting fieldwork across diverse global environments to address pressing questions about Earth's surface dynamics and climate feedbacks.