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It’s that time of year again! Another EGU General Assembly has passed. Another EGU Geodynamics blog team has been assembled! Now with a blog team bigger than ever! Whoohoo! So let me introduce you to the amazing blog team of 2022-2023 who will start blogging in earnest from next week onwards. If you are interested in joining yourself or want to reach out to anyone from the blog team, don’t hesitate to just drop us an e-mail or send us a tweet.
The Blog Team
Iris van Zelst
Hello! Yes, still me – I am still the editor-in-chief of the blog. This will be my 6th year, but also *plot twist* my last! (hopefully someone will take over next year and I can focus on other adventures!) When I am not frantically editing and managing the blog, I occasionally work on my postdoc project on Venus interior-atmosphere coupling at the German Aerospace Center in Berlin, Germany. I am also starting to dabble in planetary seismology (exciting!) and I have a whole slew of projects from my previous postdoc at the University of Leeds and my PhD at ETH Zürich that are almost finished. I enjoy lots of things (theatre! books! board games!) and I have a terrible work-life balance which results in all my hobbies having some kind of link with my work. Please send help. Check out the game QUARTETnary about the geological time scale that I am developing, or my youtube channel about my life as a postdoc (frequent rants may occur) and my interview series ‘Science Sisters‘ on career paths and problems in academia. Please reach out to me if you have ideas, want to contribute to the blog, or just want to have a chat!
Trud Antzée
I’m a former pianist/piano teacher who has done a career pivot into information design. I love to create data visualisations and illustrations that explain facts and tell a story. I also have danced Argentine social tango since 2004, and I’m the designer, developer, and author behind TANGO NOTES, a website about traditional Argentine tango music. When I’m not designing, my partner and I do a bit of urban gardening, go on bike trips, and travel for social tango events together. I also DJ for tango events. I currently live in Oslo, Norway and I am part of the blog as an illustrator. My website is www.studioantzee.com
Aisling Dunn
Hey everyone! I’m Aisling (Ash for short) and I’m a PhD student at Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey, looking into how dynamic topography can tell us about Antarctica’s mantle and the impact this has on ice sheets. Despite being allergic to the cold, I absolutely love Antarctica and anything outdoorsy. You’ll often find me escaping the flat Cambridge countryside looking for hillier hikes on the weekend, and when the weather is too bad for that I’ll probably end up spending the day baking something sweet and curling up on the sofa with a good book dreaming of my next adventure. Other hobbies include yoga, wild swimming, and playing the saxophone. This year, I am adding being a blog editor to my list of hobbies! Feel free to get in touch via e-mail or on Twitter @VolcanicAsh__!
Megan Holdt
Hi everyone! I’m a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge. My research involves interpreting seismic data in order to better understand how mantle convection influences surface processes. I’m an Australian and I moved to the UK in 2018 to start my PhD. I love all kinds of outdoor activities, including hiking, skiing, and rowing with a local boat club. I also enjoy science outreach and have been volunteering with ‘Girls in STEM’ since moving to Cambridge. Throughout the year I will be interviewing researchers from the geodynamics community as part of my role as editor in the blog team. I’m also your new ECS rep! I look forward to bringing your research to the wider community. You can reach me via e-mail.
Vojta Hybl
Hello! I am Vojta, currently a 3rd year BSc Geology & Physical Geography student at The University of Edinburgh and I am one of the resident science illustrators of the EGU Geodynamics blog! I believe art is one of the best ways to share my passion for (geo)science and communicate complex scientific ideas. I like to use a range of techniques to create illustrations that are fun and informative, whether it’s educational posters, diagrams or field sketches. My most featured subject are volcanoes but I am always looking for new inspiration. You can check my work on Instagram @rocksonpaper or Twitter @vojta_hybl!
Prachi Kar
Hello! I, Prachi Kar, am a final year Master’s student at Jadavpur University, India. After completing my degree, I am going to join Arizona State University as a graduate student in the coming fall. My current research focuses on exploring mantle dynamics, more specifically mantle convection through numerical modeling. My future research goal is to include subduction dynamics with it to investigate the formation and distribution of thermal and chemical heterogeneities in Earth’s lowermost mantle. Apart from academics, I enjoy painting, making illustrations and animations in my spare time. I am a part of the GD blog team as an illustrator.
Ágnes Király
Hello blog readers! I am an enthusiastic geodynamicist (and now also a blog editor!), who loves all things subduction (well, okay, I am not a geochemist, so maybe almost all things subduction). Currently I am working at the University of Oslo, where I have a project named ANIMA, which is funded by the Norwegian Research Council. With ANIMA my aim is to understand whether anisotropic viscosity in the asthenosphere can have any significant effects on geodynamics processes (including subduction, of course!).
I am all about work-life balance! Lucky me, my interest in geodynamics brought me to Oslo, where I can work in a superb centre. In my free time I love enjoying the beautiful Norwegian outdoors, and doing handstands on nice rocks, beaches, or on horses. You can find me on Twitter @agi_a_kiraly, or you can reach me by e-mail, if you have any story you want to share.
Giridas Maiti
Hi everyone! I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. Currently I am investigating the possible factors that triggered slab breakoff or tearing processes in the Alps and their impacts on the tectonics of North Alpine Foreland Basin (NAFB) employing a 3D thermo-mechanical numerical modelling approach. My current research is funded by DFG, Germany and it is part of the 4DMB project. I completed my PhD from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. During my PhD, I worked on the exhumation dynamics of high to ultra-high pressure rocks in the Himalayan wedge and the spatio-temporal evolution of the Himalaya-Tibet mountain system (the grandness of the Himalayas has always intrigued me!) using numerical geodynamic models. Apart from my research work, I love travelling, trekking and hiking in the mountains (mostly in the Himalaya!). I am also a classical guitar enthusiast, playing western classical music on the guitar during my leisure time. Besides that, I am a regular practitioner of yoga and meditation to remain relaxed and balanced in my daily life. I am excited to join the blog as an editor. You can reach me via e-mail or Twitter @giridasmaiti.
Michaël Pons
Hi readers! I am a PhD student (in the final phase of my thesis, Santa Ricotta!) at GFZ and affiliated with the University of Potsdam as part of the StRATEGy project. In the last few years, I have been working on numerical modelling of processes associated with the formation of the Andes (such an amazing place! so many llamas, I love llamas!), such as the subduction of the Nazca oceanic plate or the delamination of the South American continental plate. My research interests range from mantle and lithosphere dynamics to surface processes. In addition to geodynamics, I enjoy taking pictures of landscapes and stars (I love looking at them) as well as traveling to meet new places, cultures, and people. I’m always up for crazy adventures like hitchhiking, long treks, and camping. I’m looking for people to tell their stories, so you can reach me at my e-mail or via my Twitter @MichaPons.
The Sassy Scientist
Dear reader, I am still here – bursting with excitement to enlighten you with my wisdom for the fourth year running at this most esteemed blog of EGU. I am still the expert of any conceivable field within the Earth Sciences and my experience of academia knows no bounds. If only. I solely dedicate my free time to helping you, dear reader, to navigate this labyrinth of science. So why not send me an e-mail with your burning questions? I am still waiting for you right here.
Arushi Saxena
I am a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Florida, USA. Currently, I am developing instantaneous global mantle flow models that can reproduce the observed surface deformation. I am also interested in investigating intraplate seismicity, particularly, the effects of lateral viscosity variations in the upper mantle on the crustal earthquake distribution. Besides research, I enjoy reading science fiction books, top-rope climbing, cooking (and experimenting with different recipes), and games (all kinds!). I consider yoga and crocheting as my go-to meditative activities. As a blog editor, I am excited to show you the niches in geodynamics and life as a geodynamicist. You can contact me via e-mail.
Rajani Shrestha
Hi and Namaste everyone! I am an aspiring seismologist from Nepal. I listen to (or more accurately, look at) the sounds of the earth (seismic waves) to investigate its interior. Currently, I am studying the anisotropic signals and mantle dynamics beneath the passive eastern North American margin. Like all geoscience enthusiasts, I enjoy collecting rocks, minerals, and fossils, and talking about all things geology. I love reading rocks and the stories they tell about the earth. Besides that, I like to write poems and take pictures of nature, mostly flowers. I am excited to join the EGU Geodynamics blog as an editor! You can reach out to me via e-mail or Twitter @SeismoRi.
Kleoniki (Lydia) Theodoridou
Hi everyone! I am a recent master’s graduate in Risk and Disaster Science from University College London. I have always wanted to create a safer, greener, and resilient world. Therefore, my research interests are mainly focused on the concepts of disaster risk reduction, infrastructure resilience, and business continuity management. Apart from that, I love travelling, dancing Latin dances, and getting to know different people and cultures – it is something that fills my heart with joy. I am originally from Greece, so if you ever need any travelling tips for Greek island-hopping you now know the person you can turn to! I am really excited to be part of the GD team as an editor! You can reach me via e-mail.
Katherine Villavicencio
Hi everyone, I am a PhD candidate in Planetary Sciences and my research activities are about icy moons where I am focused on spectral analysis and numerical geodynamic models. I am fascinated by these cold worlds and intrigued with the internal processes, atmospheric evolution, and geologic events that are present on their surface. Currently I am carrying out my research at the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 in France. When I am not working on a research, I like travelling, meeting new people and understanding their culture. I also love to take pictures, dance, practice yoga and do meditation. Even though I have never been in India, I like to consider myself a big fan of their culture and of Ganesha. I am Ecuadorian so, if you need any information about my home country (for example about the Galápagos Islands), feel free to contact me via e-mail! And of course, this applies also if you want to talk about icy moons or write something for the blog! I am an editor, after all!
Gokul Venu Sreebindu
Hello everyone, Gokul here. I am a Ph.D. candidate currently working on the project titled ‘The Structure, Rheology and Tectonic Evolution of the lithosphere in the northeast Indian Ocean.’ My Ph.D. is a joint program with Monash University, Australia, and Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India, as host institutions. During my research, my attention was caught by one of the most intriguing geophysical signatures known as the Indian Ocean Geoid Low. Through my research, I attempt to understand the lithospheric and mantle processes beneath the Indian ocean to explain this entity. I tend to escape from the hectic research life by taking long drives deep into the woods. With my interests in photography, I try to capture human emotions as a street portrait photographer. Feel free to ping me through my e-mail or Twitter @gokul_geo to discuss science, photography, or travel.
