ERE
Energy, Resources and the Environment

Early Career Scientists

Interview with ERE Outstanding ECS Awardee Iman Rahimzadeh Kivi

April 25, 2025
Interview with ERE Outstanding ECS Awardee Iman Rahimzadeh Kivi

Congratulations for being awarded this years Early Career Scientist Award of the ERE division! Can you tell us a bit about yourself (not only about your work life)?
Thank you so much! I am delighted to receive this award and grateful to the European Geosciences Union for this recognition.

I am an engineer and a geoscientist with a passion for understanding the Earth’s subsurface processes and their implications for developing clean energy resources and sustainability. I generate knowledge, workflows and tools ‎to safely and efficiently unlock the huge ‎potential of the subsurface to cut carbon emissions and produce ‎low-carbon and sustainable ‎energy in the fight against the climate change crisis. To this end, I conduct interdisciplinary research combining concepts from ‎geomechanics, geochemistry, seismology, data science and artificial intelligence through a combination of experimental, numerical and data-driven approaches.‎

I earned my PhD in Petroleum Engineering in late 2018 from Tehran Polytechnic, Tehran, Iran. After a short ‎period in the industry and as a lecturer at the Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran, I started my postdoc ‎research career in Jan. 2020 at the Spanish National Research Council (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain. I initially ‎enrolled as a contracted postdoc in the ERC-StG project GEoREST and then as ‎“Juan ‎de la Cierva ‎Incorporación”‎ and “PCI-MSCA IF-ST 2020” (project EASY GEOCARBON) fellows. Awarded a Horizon Europe Marie Curie ‎fellowship for the project THMC4CCS, in 2023, I joined the Subsurface CO2 Research Group at Imperial ‎College London, London, UK, where I am currently conducting my research. I have had this opportunity to be part of two amazing research groups during my postdoc and collaborate with leading scientists in my field, significantly assisting me in shaping my academic career. I am grateful for their support.

Beyond my scientific work, I spend my time with my family; my wife Atefeh and my little daugther Rose. I enjoy being outdoors, hiking and cycling. I love exploring many parks and green spaces in London. Besides, I love cooking and gardening. They keep me energized and help me release daily tensions.

 

Iman Rahimzadeh Kivi, the ERE division Outstanding ECS Awardee 2025.

How did you get into your research topic? Did you know from the very start of your career that this is what you want to research?
My interest in investigating multiphysics processes relevant to subsurface energy and resources management began early during my undergraduate studies, as I was fascinated by the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of processes in the Earth’s crust. However, my path to my current research was shaped by my ‎academic experiences and collaborations.

During my master’s and PhD research, I developed a strong interest in the geomechanics of subsurface applications with a focus on hydrocarbon reservoirs. Later, during my postdoctoral career, I focused my research on addressing challenges in low-carbon geoenergy applications, in particular, carbon capture and storage and geothermal energy developments in light of the underlying multiphysics processes. I wouldn’t say I knew after my PhD that this would be my exact research topic but I was interested in shifting my research toward low-carbon geoenergies. My mentors—Prof. Victor Vilarrasa at CSIC, Spain, and Prof. Sam Krevor at Imperial College London, UK—along with insights from my collaborators, helped me identify key research priorities in these fields. As I delved deeper into the challenges and recognized their critical role in tackling climate and energy issues, my commitment to this path grew stronger. The more I explored, the more certain I became that this was the right direction for my work. I am honored to have been awarded three postdoctoral fellowships, which have allowed me to further expand my research on geologic carbon storage.

What do you see as the big open research questions in your field?
There are several exciting and pressing research questions in my field. One of the major challenges is improving the performance of coupled multiphysics modeling approaches to enable their effective, (near) real-time integration with subsurface monitoring techniques. Such an integration is crucial for efficient characterization of the subsurface to significantly reduce uncertainties, support operational decision-making and mitigate risks associated with developing low-carbon geoenergies. Addressing this challenge requires a combination of emerging technologies, such as machine learning and advanced computational techniques and can only be achieved through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Iman’s research in one image: Subsurface utilisation in the energy transition and related seismicity risks.

What is one of the defining memories from your time as an early career scientist?
One of the defining moments as an early career scientist was receiving the Marie Curie Fellowship. The award was especially important to me because it came after an unsuccessful trial in the previous call. I carefully analyzed the feedback from the evaluators, refined my proposal and the proposed methodology and improved my competence in the short time remaining to the next call. The next year, my hard work paid off, and I got the fellowship.

In addition to the recognition, the fellowship opened up new opportunities for collaboration and significantly expanded my knowledge and expertise in flow and transport phenomena relevant to geologic carbon storage. During this fellowship, I got the chance to develop cutting-edge laboratory techniques for improved understanding of reactive transport phenomena in the subsurface. It has set the ground for my future research on addressing challenges of the scaleup of carbon capture and storage technologies. This experience taught me a lot about resilience, continuous learning, and improvement based on feedback—skills that have helped me shape my scientific career‎.

If you could give three tips to young scientists, what would they be?

  • Science evolves fast. Stay tuned, adapt to new technologies and welcome new ideas.
  • Expand your professional network. Establishing international collaborations, participation in conferences and engagement in scientific discussions will reinforce your ability to conduct interdisciplinary research and open new opportunities.
  • Be patient in confronting challenges. Research is to address questions that have remained unresolved. This is obviously a challenging process and setbacks are part of that. Learn from failures and keep trying and improving to finally achieve your academic goals.

How to Make Scientific Posters

March 19, 2025
How to Make Scientific Posters
Posters do not need to have a white background.

The schedule of the annual EGU general assembly has just been published and if you submitted and abstract you do now know whether or not you will be able to give a poster presentation. Maybe this is the first time you will need to present a scientific poster or are wondering how to make your poster for this year’s conference. Look no further, we have compiled some thoughts for you in this blog post. There is also a small gallery of anonymized posters to look for inspiration!

The Purpose of a Scientific Poster

To make a good poster starts with identifying its purpose. A scientific poster is a tool for sharing research with peers in a concise, visually engaging manner. The goal is to communicate key findings effectively and encourage interaction. Think of your poster as an invitation for discussion rather than a dense collection of information or a published paper. This is particularly helpful if you are still in the middle of a project! One thing to note is that at EGU there are literally thousands of poster on display every day a good poster catches the attention of the audience nonetheless.

Key Principles:

  • Engagement: Attract viewers with a clear layout and engaging visuals.
  • Simplicity: Focus on a few key points—less is more.
  • Interactivity: Encourage dialogue by making it easy for others to understand your work quickly.

What a Poster Is Not

A poster is not a paper, thesis, or slideshow. It should not be overloaded with text or complex equations and tables. Instead, extract the essential points and present them in an easily digestible format.

Designing an Effective Layout

The layout is critical to a poster’s readability. Before adding content, sketch a rough draft of your design on paper to organize sections logically.

Key Layout Tips:

  1. Know Your Dimensions: EGU allows for larger than A0 posters. Make use of it if you can! Check the details here: https://www.egu25.eu/guidelines/presenters/poster_presenter_guidelines.html
  2. Orientation: Landscape is generally preferred, as it is easier for the human eye to process.
  3. Visual Hierarchy: Use headings, subheadings, and clear section divisions to guide the reader.
  4. White Space Matters: Aim for a balance of 40% visuals, 40% text, and 20% empty space. Yes, 20 % empty space! And 40% text is already the very much upper limit!

Typography and Readability

Your text should be easily readable from at least 1.5 meters away. There may be several people trying to look at your poster at the same time, enable them all!

  • Title: 96pt or larger
  • Subheadings: 40pt
  • Body text: 24pt minimum
  • Font choice: Stick to 1-2 professional fonts. Maybe use Open Sans, its the official EGU font.
  • Spacing: Use 1.5 or double spacing to enhance readability

Do the A4 test: If you print out your poster on a A4 sheet of paper and hold it at arms length you should be able to read everything well.

The Role of Color and Graphics

Figures are maybe THE most important part of a poster. As geoscientists we can make amazing figures (think maps, cross-sections, 3D models, satellite imagery, …). Make use of that to draw people to your poster! Colors are great and can enhance clarity and engagement—but should be used wisely.

Content That Works

Your poster should tell a clear story from introduction to conclusion. Here’s a simple structure:

  1. Title: Make it engaging and, if possible, phrase it as a question.
  2. Introduction: A short, jargon-free summary (120 words max) answering What, Why, Where, When, Who, and How.
  3. Methods & Results: Use visuals to explain key processes and findings.
  4. Conclusion: Summarize the key takeaway in a few sentences.
  5. Contact Info: Include an email address, social media handle, or QR code linking to your poster, or any published material.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Overcrowded posters: Avoid excessive text and unnecessary details.
  • Small fonts: Ensure readability from a distance.
  • Poor image quality: Use high-resolution graphics (at least 300 dpi).
  • Lack of structure: Organize content logically so it flows naturally.

Printing Your Poster

  • File format: Save your poster as a high-quality PDF for printing.
  • Resolution: Print at 300-600 dpi for best results.
  • Size setting: Ensure your design software is set to the correct dimensions before you begin.
  • Printing options: University services are often cost-effective, but local print shops can be a great alternative. I always print my poster in Vienna for less than 20 Euros, this means I do not have to carry it both ways!

Final Thoughts

A well-designed poster is a powerful communication tool. It doesn’t just present research; it starts conversations. Be not afraid to highlight issues you currently have in your project, it may well be that someone walking by has an idea that could really help you. Last year one of the best posters I have seen had post-its next to it and asked people to fill in some blanks!

Numerically simulating production in geothermal reservoirs: application to the Groß Schönebeck deep geothermal facility.

November 3, 2016
Numerically simulating production in geothermal reservoirs: application to the Groß Schönebeck deep geothermal facility.

Producing deep geothermal energy involves using a well, which can be several kilometres deep, to extract hot water in the aim of using its heat to generate electricity or for industrial applications.

The well is drilled into what’s called a geothermal reservoir; rock containing empty space, or porosity, which allows the passage or storage of fluids. Sometimes hot water is already sufficiently present within the geothermal reservoir, but often cooler water is pumped into the ground via an injection well in the aim of collecting it once it has been heated. The combined use of an injection and a production well is called a doublet and is a common method of exploiting geothermal energy. During the production or it is important to understand what is happening to this water as it is being injected, how much we can expect to get out at the other end and how hot it will be! This involves modelling the movement of the water, the transfer of heat and the mechanical stress and deformation of the rock, all of which are interconnected by coupled, highly non-linear equations.

Antoine Jacquey, of German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam is a PhD student working on methods of reservoir engineering. In his 2016 paper, “Thermo-poroelastic numerical modelling for enhanced geothermal system performance: Case study of the Groß Schönebeck reservoir” demonstrating an improved version of this method, which takes into account the change in porosity as the rock deforms, Antoine Jacquey and his colleagues applied these new techniques to the Groß Schönebeck geothermal facility.

The Groß Schönebeck geothermal reservoir is located just north of Berlin, Germany, and is home to an injection/production well doublet. These wells are used as an in situ laboratory for investigating deep sedimentary structures and fluids under natural conditions. The reservoir, at 4-4.1 km depth, is made of up Elbe base sandstone which has a porosity of up to 10 %.  Antoine and his co-authors apply the thermo-mechanical modelling techniques to simulate 100 years of geothermal production at Groß Schönebeck, providing insights on the longevity and productivity for similar geothermal sites. The latter are dependent on temperature drops in both the reservoir and the extracted geothermal fluids which occur as a cold water front moves outwards from the injection well (see Figure above). They find that the injection of cold water enhances the porosity and permeability (the ability of the rock to transmit fluids) which in turn increases the amount of cold water propagating through the reservoir, decreasing the estimated life time of the system from 59 to 50 years. Their study highlights the importance of correctly taking into account the coupling between the different thermo-hydro-mechanical processes.

Antoine Jacquey is currently a PhD student at the German Research Centre for Geociences, Potsdam in section Basin Modelling. His research interests include numerical modelling of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical processes, deformation of fractured systems and localized and diffused deformation in porous reservoir rocks.

 

Questions of Resource Sustainability in a World of Consumers

April 21, 2016
Image Credit: <a href=“https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7501/16286796006_0edfa9377e_b.jpg”>Paul Saab</a>

Image Credit: Paul Saab

By Lindsey Higgins, PhD student at Stockholm University and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research

***

In the Wednesday morning debate “Is global economic growth compatible with a habitable climate?” issues of sustainability in a consumptive world were tackled. The four panellists agreed that the goal set by the COP21 meeting in Paris of limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C is unrealistic. Historically, fossil fuels have been necessary for economic growth and now even more difficulties arise from the need for resources to find resources.
During the debate, concerns were raised over the conspicuous consumption of the developed world and how people are generally more interested in what happens now rather than in the future. Jorgen Randers, author and professor of climate strategy at the Norwegian Business School, believes there is a need for short-term rewards to entice people into more sustainable solutions. He gives the example of electric cars in Norway and how the government removed taxes on their purchase to make them a more economically rewarding option.
When it comes to the minerals we now rely on, the easiest sources have been found and are either already tapped out, or are well on the way. The current challenge is how to locate and extract these resources from deeper under the Earth’s surface, since even perfect recycling of what we already have would not be able to keep up with current demands. The current question is whether it is possible to do this in a way that is socially, economically, and environmentally responsible. In his talk Monday afternoon, P. Patrick Leahy of the American Geosciences Institute introduced the idea of “resource colonialism” that is often associated with mining of resources in developing countries. Dr. Leahy is involved with the International Union of Geological Science (IUGS) “Resourcing Future Generations” initiative. This planning group aims to improve understanding of the demand, discovery, extraction, and social impacts of future global mineral needs.
According to Edmund Nickless, Chair of The IUGS New Activities Strategic Implementation Committee and former Executive Secretary of the Geological Society of London, there is a need for a social contract that ensures fair distribution of wealth. If you think you have a solution to this global issue, the IUGS currently has an open call for small funding proposals. The deadline for proposals is 31 May 2016 and more information can be found here.