NIR GALILI

I am an isotope geochemist driven to better understand the history of Earth through the rock record. I am interested in several problems related to Earth-surface environments and global biogeochemical cycles, both in the present and in the geologic past, including: the key controls on Earth’s seawater composition, and how it changed in response to some of the most significant climate perturbations the Earth has ever experienced. However, the study of Earth’s history often focuses on bulk materials, hindering a full understanding of the mechanisms behind the geochemical signals that the rock record has revealed as well as their fidelity. My skill set is utilizing experiments and cutting-edge analytical tools to provide me with the ability to tackle this breadth of problems and overcome many limitations of previous works. At its core, my work centers around the stable-isotope compositions of natural samples and the synthesis of minerals within the laboratory under controlled conditions. By combining these measurements with techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction and light-, Raman-, and scanning electron-microscopy, my research provides new insights into long-standing geochemical questions.