Greg Michalski
Associate Professor Greg Michalski’s research group uses stable isotopes to understand the biogeochemistry of nitrogen cycling in aquatic and soil systems, regional air/water pollution, paleoclimatology, and planetary atmospheric and surface processes.
An REU student working with Michalski’s group would help develop a new technique for the in situ determination of the isotopic composition of nitrate minerals with the ultimate goal of this analysis occurring on Mars during a future Mars rover mission. Specifically the student would conduct control experiments on the thermal conversion of nitrate minerals into nitric oxide and its analysis by isotope ratio mass spectrometry and optical methods. Anticipated REU mentor would be Ben Wilkens, a 2nd year PhD student in the Department of Chemistry.