Geochemical signatures in geologic materials can reveal information about Earth system processes. Research in low-temperature geochemistry looks at the geochemistry of sediments, minerals, waters, fossils, soils, and organic matter occurring at temperatures commonly found at or near the Earth's surface. Projects at U-M investigate noble gas content in groundwater, the organic carbon content of modern Arctic permafrost and runoff, trace element behavior in modern and fossil soils and marine carbonates, and many more.

Faculty Specialties Associated Laboratories and Research Groups
Udo Becker Mineral surface science, computational mineralogy, actinide geochemistry, principles of redox kinetics, biomineralization. Surface Geochemistry and Computational Mineralogy Group
Joel Blum Isotope Geochemistry, Geochemistry of heavy metals, mercury in the environment, geoarcheology, forest biogeochemistry.  
Julie Cole Coral reefs, caves, drought, El Nino, Common Era, Holocene. Julia Cole's Climate Lab
Rose Cory Photochemistry, biogeochemistry, carbon cycle, freshwater, Arctic. Research Website
Greg Dick Environmental microbiology, microbial mats, Earth's oxygenation, harmful cyanobacterial blooms, Great Lakes. Michigan Geomicrobiology Lab
Ingrid Hendy Sedimentology, micropaleontology, paleoceanography, glaciology.  
Jena Johnson Historical geomicrobiology, evolution of metabolisms, Precambrian biosignatures and astrobiology. Microbe-Mineral Lab
Jenan Kharbush Microbial Biogeochemistry, nitrogen cycling, harmful algal blooms, Compound-Specific Stable Isotope Analysis, Microbial Metabolomics Microbial Biogeochemistry Lab
Naomi Levin Stratigraphy, paleoecology, isotope hydrology, isotope geochemistry, environments of early humans.

Levin Research Group

Iso Paleo Lab

Kacey Lohmann Carbonate geochemistry, sedimentology, field geology, paleoceanography, stable isotope geochemistry, sclerochronology. Personal Website
Nathan Niemi Active tectonics, low-temperature thermochronology, field geology, structural geology. Personal WebsiteThermochronology Lab
Ben Passey Analytical isotope geochemistry, paleoecology, animal diet & physiology, paleoclimate, fossil mammals. Iso Paleo Lab
Sierra Petersen Past greenhouse climates, mass extinctions, stable and clumped isotope paleothermometry, fossil mollusks, sclerochronology. Lab Website
Nathan Sheldon Paleosols, terrestrial biogeochemistry, Precambrian geobiology, paleoecology. Continental Environments Research Group
Adam Simon Ore deposit formation, hydrothermal fluids, magmatic systems, sustainability, environmental mining footprints. Personal Website
Youxue Zhang Earth moon, experimental petrology, geochemistry, petrology Personal Website
Affiliated Faculty Specialties Primary Affiliation Associated Laboratories and Research Groups
Kerri Pratt Chemistry, Polar Regions, Snow, Atmosphere Chemistry Pratt Lab