About

I was awarded my PhD in 2015, by the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and l’Université Jean Monnet (France). My thesis focused on the chemical differentiation of the continental crust, with emphasis on the link between the magma, its source and resulting intrusions. After spending a year as an Assistant Lecturer at the CRPG Nancy (France), I was employed as a PDRA at the University of Cambridge UK where I worked on fluid mechanics and magma flows in tabular intrusions. In order to continue developing my understanding of the origin and evolution of the continental crust, my current work looks at microtextural evidence for volatile storage in the lower crust and the impact of crustal growth on the stabilization of the carbon cycle.

My research deals with understanding the physical and chemical behaviour of fluids and magmas in the continental lithosphere. The strength of my approach is the investigation of magmatic plumbing systems and crustal differentiation processes through the integration of field and petrographic observations, fluid dynamics processes and geochemical data using numerical and analogue modelling. My main goal is to understand how igneous and deep crustal processes influence the nature and the volume of deep volatile element cycles (e.g. H₂O, CO₂). Ultimately, this will lead to a better understanding of the fate of volatile elements during planetary differentiation, which plays a crucial role in the emergence of life on Earth.