Research
Current Areas of Research
I joined the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS, Nanyang Technological University) in Fall 2009. My research activities at EOS focus on:

* volcano monitoring (gases) in South-East Asia (Philippines, Indonesia);
* feasibility assessment of satellite-borne monitoring of volcanic CO2 plumes;
* interdisciplinary environmental databases, and integrated natural hazard assessment;
* environmental monitoring, chemical sensor technology and organic mass spectrometry; chemical marker analysis.

An analytical geochemist by training, I currently work on applied geochemical monitoring techniques for active volcanic emissions, using in-situ sampling as well as ground-based and satellite-borne real-time sensing techniques. I maintain active research collaborations with domestic and international research groups in government, academia, industry and supranational agencies. I complement my work with an involvement in outreach activities, volunteer work for a non-profit charitable organisation, and mentoring of underrepresented students.

Current projects include:

* Gas monitoring of EOS Laboratory Volcanoes.
* Satellite-borne detection of volcanic CO2 plumes using IBUKI FTIR data.
* WOVOdat - global volcanic unrest database, by WOVO (World Organisation of
Volcano Observatories).



Research Interests - Brief Overview

Atmospheric Chemistry & Geochemistry	* natural sources of atmospheric organic trace gases (VOC, halocarbons). * organic instrumental geochemical method development (GC-MS, GC-TCD, GC-FID, SPME and SPTD etc.). * trace gas adsorption on solid substrates. * low-temperature aqueous geochemistry and signatures of deep crustal fluids. * transport and deposition of inorganic and organic nitrogen and sulfur species. * emissions of ammonia, nitric acid, sulfur species and VOCs from CAFO. * biomarkers in rocks, solutions, gases. * trace organic compounds in ice. * experimental solubility and retention studies in chromatography. * geochemical methods applied to archaeology, archeometry. * history of chemistry and geochemistry. * laboratory techniques for rock sample preparation for wet chemical and instrumental analysis. * occupational safety issues and Dangerous Goods (DG) shipping (lab, field).
Volcanology	* geochemical monitoring of active volcanic systems in South East Asia (EOS Laboratory Volcanoes). * satellite-borne detection of volcanic CO2-plumes using IBUKI FTIR data. * multi-sensor diffuse flux mapping of subsurface hydrothermal reactions. * organic chemistry of volcanic gases, prebiotic organic compounds / astrobiology. * inorganic hydrothermal and volcanic gas chemistry. * paterae structures on Jupiter's moon Io. * remote spectroscopy of organic volcanic gas emissions (OP-FTIR) vs. gas sampling. * volcanic surveillance: Nisyros and Kos, Greece (see GEOWARN project of the EU). * environmental isotopes in hydrothermal systems (noble gas and stable isotopes). * pyroclastic stratigraphy & xenolith petrology (Pinatubo 1991 eruption).
Natural Hazards	* natural hazards of volcanic systems: global volcanic unrest database solutions (see WOVOdat project). * natural hazards of volcanic systems: volcanic unrest databases & on-line visualization, early warning systems, (see GEOWARN project of the EU). * natural hazards in alpine valleys: integrated hazard database & on-line visualization, early warning systems. * natural hazards assessment, integrated combined multi-parametric multi-hazard assessment procedures; visualization, georelational databases and graphical query design, public data dissemination policy issues.
Other Interests	* cyclic REE signatures in OIB time-series (Molokai, Hawaii). * structural geology, sedimentary processes and ophiolite petrology of suture zones (see 1998 paper).

Research Grants Awarded

2004	Swiss National Fund (ETH Zürich, Switzerland); co-PI (with L. Hurni, PI, and R. Gogu, co-PI; both ETH) CHF 80,059 (ca. US$ 63,0000) Correlated hazard assessment studies within an alpine valley: establishing a geo-spatial system for data management, modeling, visualisation, and analysis (HazTOOL).
2003	HazNETH (ETH Zürich, Switzerland); co-I (renewal) (with L. Hurni, PI, and R. Gogu, co-I; both ETH) CHF 100,000 (ca. US$ 67,000) Geo-Spatial Information System for Natural Hazards Assessment in Switzerland.
2002	HazNETH (ETH Zürich, Switzerland); co-I (with L. Hurni, PI, and R. Gogu, co-I; both ETH) CHF 100,000 (ca. US$ 67,000) Geo-Spatial Information System for Natural Hazards Assessment in Switzerland.
2001	Swiss Academy of Sciences, travel & analytical grant; PI CHF 5,000 (ca. US$ 3,300) Dioxins and Furans in Volcanic Gases.
1997 / 1999	Co-writer and writer, renewals and reports for a Swiss National Fund research grant to PI V. Dietrich (incl. salary for F. Schwandner). CHF 94,114 (ca. US$ 63,000) and CHF 92,300 (ca. US$ 62,000) Magmatic Volatiles: Inorganic and organic compounds in volcanic gases and their environmental impact.
1997	Freie Universität Berlin (Germany); GEOTITEL travel grant; PI DM 1,000 (ca. US$ 700) Geology of Poros Island, Greece.

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