Lithium Extraction and Commodities Professors and Supervisors

Ngoc T. Buiمشاهده پروفایل

استادیار

University of OklahomaUnited States

Ngoc T. Bui is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sustainable Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Connecticut (2014), an M.S. in Textile Engineering from Chonnam National University (2007), and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Organic Chemistry from HoChiMinh City University of Technology (Vietnam). His research focuses on the water-energy-environment nexus, developing advanced functional materials and membranes for sustainable separations, environmental remediation, and renewable energy applications. Dr. Bui's work integrates physics, chemistry, and engineering to study nanomaterials' physicochemical properties and their transport behaviors. His lab designs membranes and adsorbents from nanoscale building blocks, focusing on energy-efficient wastewater treatment from oil and gas industries and converting pollutants into valuable commodities. Key projects include bioinspired supramolecular complexes for heavy metal removal, carbon nanotube-based breathable protective fabrics, and adsorptive membranes for precision ion separation. His research outputs span over 30 peer-reviewed articles, patents on nanoporous membranes and adsorptive technologies, and contributions to textbooks like Desalination: Water from Water and Desalination 2nd Edition . Collaborations with Lawrence Berkeley and Livermore National Laboratories highlight his expertise in applied nanotechnology and sustainable engineering. Dr. Bui's lab emphasizes translational research through systems-level assessments, aiming to transform water, energy, and environmental landscapes. Current efforts include granulation technologies for nutrient recovery and fluidized-bed systems for industrial wastewater treatment.

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Aleks Nikoloskiمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Murdoch UniversityAustralia

Aleks Nikoloski is a Professor at Murdoch University affiliated with the Centre for Water, Energy and Waste, where he serves as head of the Hydrometallurgy Research Group. With over 25 years of industrial and academic experience, he specializes in extractive metallurgy focusing on hydrometallurgy, electrochemistry, and mineral processing for metal recovery and high-purity compound production. His educational background includes: Doctor of Philosophy in Metallurgical Engineering from Murdoch University (1999-2002), thesis: "The electrochemistry of leaching of pre reduced nickel laterites" (supervised by Professor Mike Nicol) Bachelor of Science in Mineral Science with Honours in Hydrometallurgy from Murdoch University (1997-1998), thesis: "The application of alternative lixiviant for secondary heap leaching of gold" (supervised by Associate Professor Norm Stockton and Professor Mike Nicol) Bachelor of Engineering Technology in Metallurgical Engineering from Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje (1991-1997), thesis: "The recycling of lead from spent lead acid batteries" (supervised by Professor Nikola Nacevski) Nikoloski's research centers on developing sustainable technologies for metal extraction and recovery from primary and secondary resources using aqueous processing methods. His work applies electrochemical techniques to leaching and reduction processes across commodities including lithium, vanadium, copper, cobalt, nickel, manganese, uranium, rare earths, zinc, coal, mineral sands, and precious metals. He advocates for circular economy principles in resource processing as evidenced by his highly cited AusIMM Bulletin article "Future resources: the path to sustainable processing and a circular economy" (2020). His exceptional contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards: The Vice Chancellor's Excellence in Research & Innovation Award for Distinguished and Sustained Achievement (2023) The Vice Chancellor’s Excellence in Research Medal for Outstanding Research Development (2017) The Start Something in Minerals’ Prize (2016) The GB O'Malley Medal from the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (2002) As research group leader, Nikoloski directs multiple applied projects addressing industrial-scale metal production challenges while mentoring students and collaborating with industry partners. His work through the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre directly supports Australia's battery technology development. He actively disseminates knowledge via interviews including Murdoch University's 'Making a Difference' series (2021) and educational resources explaining practical hydrometallurgy applications.

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Marc Huftyمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Graduate Institute of International and Development StudiesSwitzerland

Marc Hufty is a Professor in Development Studies at The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva since 2008, leading the Development Studies Programme and serving as a core member of the Hoffmann Centre for Global Sustainability. His academic career spans over three decades with a PhD in International Relations from the same institution (1996), complemented by advanced studies in political science (Laval University) and anthropology (Strasbourg University). His research focuses on multi-level environmental governance through a political ecology lens, addressing topics like lithium extraction, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and resource conflicts. Current projects emphasize lithium commodity chains and the EU Green Deal's implications. Fieldwork spans Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Madagascar, Mexico, and Indonesia. Key grants include the 'Lithium negotiations between South America and Europe' project (2022–2024) and 'Green Dealings: Negotiating lithium for a just energy transition' (2021–2023). Notable research outputs include analyses of lithium mining injustices in the Argentine Puna and climate adaptation politics. Education: PhD International Relations (Graduate Institute, 1996), Political Science (Laval University), Anthropology (Strasbourg University) Research Themes: Political ecology, environmental governance, lithium extraction, climate policy, resource conflicts, global sustainability

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Alberto Valz Grisمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر ارشد

Polytechnic University of TurinItaly

Alberto Valz Gris is a Research Fellow at the Interuniversity Department of Territorial Sciences, Planning and Policies (DIST) at Politecnico di Torino, with concurrent roles as external lecturer and teaching assistant. His academic work focuses on urban geography, territorial planning, and the socio-spatial impacts of infrastructure financialization. Current affiliations: Research Fellow (DIST), Teaching Assistant (Territorial, Urban, and Landscape-Environmental Planning course) Research networks: Global Infrastructure Research Collective (2023-) His research interests center on urbanization processes, financialization of public infrastructure, and spatial conflicts in global resource extraction. Key publication themes include: Financialization dynamics in urban infrastructure (2025) Multiplicity in logistical corridors (2025) Ruderal geography of urban margins (2024) Port urbanization conflicts (2022) Resource extraction inequalities (2022) Email: alberto.valzgris@polito.it

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Jonas Fabian Köppelمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر

University of BernSwitzerland

Jonas Fabian Köppel is a post-doctoral researcher and lecturer at the Institute of Social Anthropology, University of Bern . His work bridges economic anthropology , science studies , and political ecology , focusing on technopolitical issues in resource extraction and transformation. Education: PhD in Anthropology and Sociology from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva (2023). His research explores lithium extraction in Bolivia, emphasizing its implications for climate crisis and social inequality . He advocates for interdisciplinary and experimental ethnographic approaches to address global challenges. Key publications include studies on lithium supply chains, indigenous territories, and critiques of neoextractivist practices. Themes in his work span extractive economies , technopolitics , and methodological innovation . Despite active participation in collaborative projects, no scientific awards or formal student advising roles are mentioned in the provided texts.

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Maria Cariolaمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر ارشد

University of CopenhagenDenmark

Maria Cariola is a postdoctoral fellow and geographer at the Department of Food and Resource Economics, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. She specializes in political ecology with a focus on Latin American environmental conflicts, particularly in Chile, and European Union relations. Her educational background includes PhD studies in political ecology at the University of Copenhagen (2020-present) under supervisors Mattias Borg Rasmussen and Christian Lund. She completed fieldwork in Chile for both doctoral (2021-2022) and Master's research (2018), with academic exchanges at the University of Chile (2017) and University of Buenos Aires (2015). Dr. Cariola's research centers on the intersection of (green) finance, urban studies, energy politics, and territorial conflicts in Latin America. Her current projects examine the politics of law, fire and finance in Valparaíso's urban periphery and wind energy development in Wallmapu (Mapuche territory). She approaches these topics through critical geography and political ecology frameworks, emphasizing how financial circuits shape environmental conflicts. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on renewable energy transitions in Chile, particularly examining wind power development and lithium mining through lenses of spatial justice, indigenous rights, and governance. The research demonstrates how 'green' energy projects often reproduce patterns of conflict and inequality despite their environmental promises. Funding from Carlsbergs Mindelegat for ethnographic documentary on land and law in Wallmapu Dr. Cariola teaches the MSc course Interdisciplinary Field Research and supervises master's theses at the University of Copenhagen. Her professional experience includes coordination roles at the Latin American Observatory of Environmental Conflicts (2019-2020) and Radio Migrante in Chile (2019), demonstrating her commitment to community-engaged research. She is fluent in Danish, English, and Spanish, facilitating her transnational research across Latin America and Europe.

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Gavin Bridgeمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Durham UniversityUnited Kingdom

Gavin Bridge is a Professor in the Department of Geography at Durham University, with an associate affiliation at the Institute of Advanced Study. His research spans political ecology, energy transition, resource geographies, and global production networks, focusing on the interplay of property, access, control, and materiality in resource systems. He supervises PhD students across diverse topics including mining in Brazil, energy transitions in Mexico and Georgia, and renewable resource governance in Turkey and the UK. Research Focus: Political ecologies of resource scarcity, energy transition geographies, and carbon economy dynamics. Supervisions: Current and completed PhD students analyze resource conflicts, extractive industries, and socio-technical energy shifts globally. Publications: Authored books include Energy and Society: a critical perspective (2018) and Oil (2013). Recent articles address lithium networks, geopolitical energy scenarios, offshore energy imaginaries, and pandemic impacts on energy transitions.

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Ian Langeمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

Colorado School of MinesUnited States

Ian Lange is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Business at the Colorado School of Mines. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Washington and a BA in Economics from the University of Illinois-Chicago. His research focuses on energy, environmental, and resource economics with a strong emphasis on applied microeconometric methods. Lange teaches courses such as Energy Economics (EBGN 330), Natural Resource Economy (EBGN 510), and Primary Fuels (EBGN 632). His work explores topics including lithium resource economics, space-based resource utilization, coal market dynamics, and environmental policy impacts. Notable studies include analysis of US lithium growth funding mechanisms, political influences on pollution abatement, and the feasibility of space solar power for remote mining operations. Lange’s research consistently bridges theoretical economic frameworks with practical applications in energy markets. Recent trends in his publications emphasize critical mineral supply chains, sustainable space resource development, and the interplay between environmental regulations and industrial behavior. Despite extensive research output, no specific academic awards are listed in the provided information. His advising and grant activities remain unspecified in the data, though his involvement with the Payne Institute Policy Briefs indicates engagement with policy-oriented research. Lange’s work also touches on urban rail infrastructure impacts and inter-regional coal market competition, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to resource economics challenges.

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Mikael Höökمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

Uppsala UniversitySweden

Mikael Höök is an Associate Professor in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development at Uppsala University , affiliated with the Department of Earth Sciences and the Centre for Environment and Development Studies (CEMUS) . He leads the Global Energy Systems Research group and holds a PhD in global energy resources. His work focuses on fossil fuel availability, energy system modeling, and sustainability challenges in energy transitions. Research Interests: His research spans fossil fuel production (oil, coal), resource depletion, energy security, and quantitative modeling of energy systems. He also investigates the supply of critical raw materials for clean energy technologies and the broader implications for climate change and energy policy. His work combines technical analysis with policy relevance, often focusing on China and global scenarios. Recent Publication Trends: The 15 most recent articles show a strong focus on the energy-metal nexus , methane emissions , and material requirements for renewable energy deployment. There is a clear shift toward analyzing the sustainability and feasibility of low-carbon transitions, with a particular emphasis on China. Topics such as net energy analysis, shale gas development, and energy policy modeling are recurrent themes, reflecting a systems-level approach to global energy challenges. Scientific Contributions: Extensive publications in top journals including Energy Policy , Applied Energy , Nature Energy , and Sustainability . Author of influential reports and book chapters on coal, oil, and energy transitions. Key figure in energy return on investment (EROI) and peak oil research. Teaching and Advising: He teaches courses in energy systems, energy security, and sustainability. While specific students are not listed, he collaborates widely with researchers such as Xu Tang , Henrik Wachtmeister , and Benjamin McLellan , indicating an active supervisory and mentoring role. Grants and Research Leadership: Currently leads several research projects on global oil supply and resource availability for energy transitions, indicating active grant funding and project leadership. Labs and Teams: He heads the Global Energy Systems Research group at Uppsala University, which conducts interdisciplinary research on energy resources, modeling, and sustainability.

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Felix Malte Dornمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر ارشد

University of ViennaAustria

Felix Malte Dorn is a Research Fellow at the Institute for International Development within the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Vienna. He completed his doctorate in political ecology and global lithium production networks at the University of Innsbruck in February 2021, following studies in international economics at the University of Innsbruck and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina). Dorn's research examines the global political economy of decarbonization, with emphasis on socio-ecological conflicts surrounding strategic resources like lithium, copper, and green hydrogen in Latin America. His interdisciplinary work integrates: Political ecology of resource extraction and green extractivism Global value chains and production networks Commodification of climate change commodities Decolonization and socio-ecological transformation Territorial conflicts and indigenous rights His publications reveal consistent focus on lithium mining impacts, green hydrogen development, and decarbonization politics, with strong regional emphasis on Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. Research frequently employs political ecology frameworks to analyze power asymmetries in energy transitions. Awards and Grants: Marietta Blau Scholarship (2019) ÖAW-FWF Disruptive Innovation Grant (2024-2025) Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Documentary Funding (2020-2021) Tiroler Wissenschaftsförderung (2020-2022) Dorn leads projects on lithium geopolitics and green hydrogen, and has conducted fieldwork across Latin America. He coordinates the Lithium Worlds blog and contributes to public discourse through documentaries like Bajo La Sal featured in international film festivals.

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Gilles Carbonnierمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Graduate Institute of International and Development StudiesSwitzerland

Gilles Carbonnier is a Professor of Development Economics at The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. He concurrently serves as Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) since 2018. His affiliations include the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP), the Centre for Finance and Development (CFD), and the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy. Carbonnier holds a PhD in Economics from Neuchâtel University. His research expertise spans the economics of humanitarian crises, resource governance, international development cooperation, and peacebuilding. Key thematic areas include public-private partnerships, climate change impacts, and the energy-commodity trade nexus. Geographically, his work focuses on Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Central/Western America. Carbonnier’s publications emphasize humanitarian economics, conflict-driven economic dynamics, and sustainable development pathways. His recent work explores the interplay between natural resources and armed conflict, as well as innovative financing mechanisms for disaster resilience. He has authored over 30 peer-reviewed articles and edited volumes, including the seminal Humanitarian Economics – War, Disaster and the Global Aid Market (2015). In academic governance, he previously served as Editor-in-Chief of International Development Policy and President of CERAH’s Board. His advisory roles include guiding investment funds on sustainability and human rights, and serving on Switzerland’s Federal Commission for International Development Cooperation. Carbonnier’s professional trajectory includes 20+ years in international trade, development, and humanitarian action. He has held operational roles with the ICRC in conflict zones like Iraq, Sri Lanka, and El Salvador, and advised Vietnam on WTO accession. His work bridges academic research with policy practice, focusing on fragility, resource governance, and humanitarian innovation.

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Javiera Barandiaránمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

University of California , Santa Barbara (UCSB)United States

Javiera Barandiarán is an Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Global Studies program at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She serves as Director of Graduate Studies and leads the LAIS Advisory Board. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (UC Berkeley, 2013), an M.A. in Public Policy (UC Berkeley), and a B.A. in Politics from the University of Edinburgh. Barandiarán’s research focuses on environmental politics, science-policy interfaces, and Latin American socio-ecological governance. Her work examines how states produce and utilize environmental knowledge, particularly in Chile, addressing conflicts around lithium mining, hydroelectric projects, and constitutional reforms. She explores themes such as neoliberalism’s influence on science, environmental justice, and the rights of nature. Her current projects include leading the Center for Restorative Environmental Work (CREW), which bridges socioecological restoration efforts in California and Latin America. Her recent publications include Living Minerals: Nature, Trade, and Power in the Race for Lithium (forthcoming 2025) and articles on Chile’s constitutional reform, energy transitions, and environmental justice. She has received awards such as the Bellagio Residency (Rockefeller Foundation) and the Berlin Prize (American Academy in Berlin), along with grants from NSF, the Andrew Mellon Foundation, and Chile’s ANID. Projects: Co-PI on glaciology and geo-engineering studies in Chile (Fondecyt Project) Lead PI on lithium mining’s socio-environmental impacts (SSHRC Canada) Director of CREW, addressing socioecological restoration Barandiarán’s teaching emphasizes environmental policy, democratic transitions, and knowledge production. She advises on global climate justice and energy transitions, advocating for equitable and participatory environmental governance.

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J. Alejandro Artiga-Purcellمشاهده پروفایل

استادیار

San José State UniversityUnited States

J. Alejandro Artiga-Purcell serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies within San Jose State University's College of Social Sciences, where his interdisciplinary work bridges environmental communication, political ecology, and social movement studies to interrogate power dynamics in extractive industries across Central America and California. Education Ph.D. in Environmental Studies, UC Santa Cruz M.A. in Development Studies, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam B.A. in Environmental Studies & Psychology, Bowdoin College His research centers on the discursive politics of extractivism, examining how El Salvador achieved the world's first national metal mining ban while analyzing the criminalization of environmental defenders and entanglements between mining opposition and broader water justice struggles. Artiga-Purcell investigates how "clean energy" transitions in California's Salton Sea region co-opt resistance discourses and disproportionately impact marginalized communities, employing decolonial frameworks to expose erasures in sustainable development narratives. His methodology prioritizes participatory research with frontline communities to develop coalition-based alternatives to extractive economies. Recent publications (2021-2024) reveal evolving analytical frameworks tracing entangled extractivisms across Latin America, with key contributions on disaster capitalism during the pandemic, variegated geographies of anti-mining politics, and hydrosocial conflicts in Salvadoran extractive territories. His scholarship consistently centers Central American water justice movements while expanding comparative analysis to California's lithium extraction frontiers. Artiga-Purcell actively collaborates with Salvadoran environmental NGOs and California-based organizations like Coachella Valley community groups, translating research into advocacy that has informed U.S. diplomatic channels and Salvadoran judicial authorities. His climate justice pedagogy integrates engaged scholarship into undergraduate communication curricula, reflecting commitments to student agency and emotional well-being in ecological crisis education. He has organized international forums connecting indigenous leaders, activists, and researchers to develop transnational alternatives to extractive development.

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Aleksandra Natalia Wojewskaمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر

University of ViennaAustria

Aleksandra Natalia Wojewska is a researcher at the Faculty of Social Sciences , University of Vienna, affiliated with the Institute for International Development . Her work bridges political economy and environmental sustainability, focusing on critical minerals, resource governance, and decarbonization. Research Topics: Price determination, mineral extraction, resource depletion, sustainable development, financialization of resources, and global production networks. Publication Trends highlight her expertise in the socio-ecological impacts of electric vehicle mineral supply chains, lithium criticality, and blockchain in sustainable value chains. Recent projects examine social metabolism resilience (2024–2029) and the interplay between financial actors and sustainability policies. Activities include science-to-public lectures on green capitalism (2024) and collaborations on decarbonization drivers (2022). She actively contributes to open-access journals and interdisciplinary research networks.

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