Hannah Elms

I am an early career geochemist, having recently completed my PhD on the melt-phase geochemistry (trace elements and radiogenic isotopes) and magmatic timescales (diffusion modelling in mineral phases and melt inclusions) of Ōkataina Volcano, an active rhyolite caldera system in the Taupō Volcanic Zone of Aotearoa New Zealand. My PhD research was carried out as part of a wider, multi-disciplinary project aiming to reduce the risks posed to society by the TVZ's two active rhyolite caldera centres.

My current research at Royal Holloway focusses of using stable trace metal isotopes (specifically MC-ICP-MS analyses of cadmium) to better constrain the Earth's ancient marine organic carbon cycle, both in a steady state (from the Late Precambrian through to the Cenozoic), and during periods of rapid environmental change (at a higher temporal resolution). This project is part of the DISTILL research programme headed by Dr. Alex Dickson.

My research interests span all aspects of analytical geochemistry, especially isotopic geochemistry, that can be applied to addressing challenges facing current society such as natural hazards and climate change. I have a broad experience of clean laboratory techniques and analytical instrumentation including SEM, ICP-MS, EPMA, FT-IR, and TIMS, as well as working as part of an international, multi-disciplinary research team.