Prof. Bob Hilton
I am the Principal Investigator of the RIV-ESCAPE project. I research how erosion and weathering at Earth’s surface act to transfer carbon to and from the atmosphere. I'm interested in trying to better constrain the feedbacks between these carbon transfers and the climate system, and thus how Earth surface processes may damp (or amplify) climate change through the carbon cycle.
To do this, I quantify carbon transfers in field locations around the world, combining sampling of rivers, soils, biomass, marine sediments and geochemical analysis, along with field and remote–sensing based observation and hydrometric monitoring. In particular, I measure stable carbon isotopes and radiocarbon to understand the source and processing of organic matter in river systems. More details on my bio and publications can be found on my staff page at the University of Oxford, and on Google Scholar: |
Dr. Sanjeev DasariSanjeev is a post doctoral research associate on the RIV-ESCAPE project. He will be be working on quantifying CO2 and CH4 fluxes from river surfaces, and using their isotopic composition to track source and process.
In addition to his interests in carbon cycling and isotopes, Sanjeev has interests in other atmospheric contaminants and their transport (black carbon) and atmospheric records of change (e.g. using S isotopes in ice cores). Sanjeev joins us from Grenoble where he was a Marie Curie Research Fellow, and prior to that a PhD from Stockholm and MSc from EPFL. |
Dr. Leonardo Mena-Rivera
Leonardo holds the position of postdoctoral research assistant in Biogeochemistry. On the RIV-ESCAPE project, he will be working on quantifying the reactivity and age of organic matter in river catchments in the Arctic.
His recent research interest includes the application of mass spectrometry, compound-specific stable isotopes and amplicon sequencing approaches to investigate the chemical and microbial interactions between dissolved and particulate organic matter in freshwaters. Leonardo joins us from the School of Chemistry, National University of Costa Rica, and previously he completed a PhD at the Organic Geochemistry Unit, University of Bristol. |
Hilde Cronwright
I joined the Earth Science department to provide analytical, technical and administrative support to the team working on the RIV-ESCAPE project.
I have BSc Honours degrees in both Geology and Chemistry. My working experience includes 10 years as Laboratory Manager in the ISO17025 accredited Diamond Exploration Laboratory at The MSA Group, an international geological consulting company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Prior to that I worked for 13-years as Analytical Scientist at the Council for Geoscience (Geological Survey of South Africa) in Pretoria, specialising in the analysis of geological samples for large-scale regional geochemical exploration projects and environmental applications. I have a keen interest in method development, implementing quality control procedures and project management. |
Catherine Baldwin
Catherine is a DPhil candidate on the RIV-ESCAPE project, having previously studied at the University of Exeter and King's College London.
Her research will be looking at CO2 and CH4 fluxes from the surface of rivers in UK peatlands. Through quantifying these fluxes and their isotopic composition to determine age and source, she will be researching how surface processes such as anthropogenic land use and wildfires influence fluvial carbon supply and emissions in peatland environments. |
Sabina Sulikova
I am a DPhil student on the RIV-ESCAPE project. I am interested in understanding changes in the carbon cycle due to the influence of climate change. My DPhil focuses on investigating greenhouse gas release from warming rivers in the Arctic.
With a focus on geochemical analysis of stable and radioactive isotopes, the research will provide important insight into understanding the sources and release of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. I will carry out fieldwork in the Canadian Arctic to collect samples from the Mackenzie River Delta region, as well as analysis of previously collected samples. I have previously completed a BSc at the University of St Andrews, and an MSc in Geoscience at University College London. |
Dr Josh Dean
Josh is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol. He is collaborating on the RIV-ESCAPE project.
Originally from New Zealand, Josh has enjoyed working in many fieldwork locations including the East Siberian Arctic, Northwest Canadian Arctic, peatlands of northern Scotland, the Yucatán Peninsula, southeast Australia, and across the UK and Europe. Josh’s research focuses on using stable isotopes and radiocarbon to understand the source and fate of carbon in aquatic ecosystems, with a current focus on methane in urban waterways. |
Join the team?
There are no vacancies on the RIV-ESCAPE project at the moment, but please get in touch about other options to join the team.
There are no vacancies on the RIV-ESCAPE project at the moment, but please get in touch about other options to join the team.
Affiliated researchers at the University of Oxford:
Dr. Ella Walsh - Ella was a post doc working on a Leverhulme Project to track changing oxidative weathering, carbon and trace metal fluxes in Arctic river catchments, and now has a postdoctoral position at the University of Bergen.
Dr. Madeleine Stow - Madeleine is a post doc working on novel isotope systems (rhenium isotopes) to reconstruct past oxidative weathering and carbon cycling, on a NERC-funded project - Department webpage
Dr. Alex Lipp - a research fellow interested in the coupling of earth surface processes to geochemical fluxes - Department webpage
Victoria Alcock - DPhil student working on using trace elements and their isotopes to understand oxidative weathering processes and fluxes - Department webpage
Dr. Ella Walsh - Ella was a post doc working on a Leverhulme Project to track changing oxidative weathering, carbon and trace metal fluxes in Arctic river catchments, and now has a postdoctoral position at the University of Bergen.
Dr. Madeleine Stow - Madeleine is a post doc working on novel isotope systems (rhenium isotopes) to reconstruct past oxidative weathering and carbon cycling, on a NERC-funded project - Department webpage
Dr. Alex Lipp - a research fellow interested in the coupling of earth surface processes to geochemical fluxes - Department webpage
Victoria Alcock - DPhil student working on using trace elements and their isotopes to understand oxidative weathering processes and fluxes - Department webpage
Collaborators and partners:
Dr. Mark Garnett, NERC Environmental Isotope Facility - Radiocarbon
Prof. Suzanne Tank, University of Alberta
Prof. Richard Hardy, Durham University, UK
The Aurora Research Institute
Dr. Mark Garnett, NERC Environmental Isotope Facility - Radiocarbon
Prof. Suzanne Tank, University of Alberta
Prof. Richard Hardy, Durham University, UK
The Aurora Research Institute