Rob Middag

Rob Middag is a Research Leader at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and an honorary Professor in Marine Trace Metal Biogeochemistry at the University of Groningen's Centre for Isotope Research. His work focuses on the dual role of trace metals like iron, zinc, and nickel as essential nutrients and potential stressors in marine ecosystems.

• Research Interests: Trace metal biogeochemistry, chemical oceanography, nutrient cycling, and the development of advanced analytical methods (ICP-MS, flow injection) for ultra-clean sampling in marine environments.

Recent Publications: His 2025 study on nickel distribution in the Southern Ocean highlights the interplay between trace metals and climate processes, using data from the GEOTRACES GIpr07 transect.

• Scientific Awards: Vidi grant (2018) from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) to support his research on trace metals in marine systems.

Projects & Expeditions: He leads multidisciplinary expeditions, including the EASI-2 expedition to East Antarctica (2023-2024), and has been involved in projects such as FePhyrus (2017-2021) and MetalGate (2018-2023).