As the new academic year begins, we welcome Marie Edmonds in her new role as Head of Department.
Marie is Professor of Volcanology and Petrology, and Ron Oxburgh Fellow in Earth Sciences at Queens’ College, Cambridge.
She succeeds Professor Rich Harrison, who led our Department over the last five years; ensuring our teaching and research continued to prosper even through some very challenging times.
“I’m excited and humbled to take on the role of Head of Department, almost 30 years to the day since I first walked through the doors of the Department as an undergraduate in Natural Sciences,” said Marie.
“Earth Sciences is at the heart of society’s most pressing challenges, including climate and environmental change and sustainable resources. Here in Cambridge, our research is at the forefront of tackling these challenges. I’m very proud of our Department and I’m looking forward to seeing it grow and flourish over the next five years.”
Professor Jerome Neufeld will take up the position of Deputy Head of Department. Jerome is Professor of Earth and Planetary Fluid Dynamics and is jointly based at the Department of Earth Sciences, the Institute for Energy and Environmental Flows and the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.
“It’s an exciting time to be in Earth Sciences, addressing some of the most pressing problems in our environment and answering some of the most fundamental questions on the evolution of our planetary home and its place in the universe,” said Jerome.
“I’m particularly excited to be supporting Marie as she takes over as Head of Department, and I look forward to helping our staff continue to deliver the world-class research and education for which we are known.”
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About Marie
Marie’s research explores how volcanic eruptions impact our climate and environment, and the role that volcanoes play in cycling volatile elements such as carbon between the Earth’s interior and mantle. She was a key collaborator in the decade-long Deep Carbon Project, assessing the sources of carbon stored in rocks beneath our feet.
She and her international colleagues have been pioneering the use of drones in monitoring difficult-to-access and hazardous volcanoes, gaining valuable data for better understanding and forecasting volcanic eruptions.
Currently, Marie holds a NERC Exploring the Frontiers grant to explore volcanic sources of selenium, which is an essential micronutrient for humans and animals but can be toxic to life at even slightly elevated levels.
About Jerome
Jerome is Professor of Earth and Planetary Fluid Dynamics and is jointly based at the Department of Earth Sciences, the Institute for Energy and Environmental Flows and the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.
Jerome uses mathematical models, field observations and lab experiments to understand the fluid behaviour of the Earth and other planetary bodies. He works on wide-ranging topics, including subglacial hydrology, the solidification of magma oceans, the generation of planetary magnetic fields, mountain building and geological carbon storage.