Since 08/2024: Professor of Applied Geochemistry (W3)
Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Freiburg

11/2022 - 08/2024: Junior Research Group Leader
Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research (mentors: Stefan Peiffer, Martin Obst), University of Bayreuth, Germany.

11/2017 - 10/2022: Postdoctoral Researcher (including maternity leave)
"Outstanding Female Scholars for the University of Bayreuth". Grant program by the Female Professor Programme of Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research. 
Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research (mentors: Stefan Peiffer, Britta Planer-Friedrich), University of Bayreuth, Germany.
 

Since 11/2017: Adjuct Lecturer

Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Australia.

2015 – 2017: Postdoctoral Researcher
SNSF Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship
Southern Cross GeoScience (mentor: Edward Burton), Southern Cross University, Australia.

2009 – 2015: Research Associate (including maternity leave)
Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems (mentor: Rainer Schulin), ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Proposal writing for PhD project, management of a lysimeter research project including acquisition of funds, coordination with stakeholders, and engagement in outreach activities. 

2009 – 2014: PhD studies - Dr. sc. ETH Zurich
Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems (PhD supervisor: Rainer Schulin), ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Thesis title: "Antimony leaching from contaminated soil under changing redox conditions".

2002 – 2008: MSc and BSc studies (Diplom) of Geoecology (passed with distinction)
Technische Universität Braunschweig Germany.
MSc thesis project at the Swedish University of Agriculture,
BSc student research project project (5 months) at the German Development Service in Dumaguete, Philippines

• Award for the best poster presentation (ICOBTE and ICHMET Wuppertal, Germany, 2023)
• WIN-UBT travel grants (total 4,500 €) for early career researchers for the Goldschmidt Conferences in Barcelona (2019) and Honolulu (2020).
• ISTEB Early Career Researcher Award: 1,300 € travel grant for the ICOBTE Zurich (2017).
• ETH Medal Award for outstanding Doctoral Thesis (2015).
• Environmental Chemistry award for the best oral presentation (12th International Conference on Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements in the Environment ICOBTE, Athens, Georgia, USA, 2013).
• Environmental Chemistry student award for the best oral presentation (2nd International Workshop on Antimony in the Environment, Jena, Germany, 2011).
• Diplom (M.Sc.) faculty award (2008) for excellence in studies of geoecology.
• Scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes) for studies of geoecology (2005 – 2008).
• Vordiplom (B.Sc.) university award (2005) for excellent studies.

Since 2016, I have been awarded more than 1,000 hours of beamtime at the Australian Synchrotron as a lead and co-investigator and 95 hours of beamtime at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Centre (Taiwan) as a lead investigator. 

60,300 €. PhD scholarship from the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation for PhD studies of Laura Wegner. 2022 – 2025. (Applicant: Laura Wegner) 

15,573 €. Mobility grant from the Germany Academic Exchange Service (DAAD-PPP Australia): "Exploring antimony speciation and mobility in sulfidic soils and sediments." 2019-2021. (Lead investigator)

96,650 €. "Outstanding Female Scholars for the University of Bayreuth". Grant program by the Female Professor Programme of Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research. 2017-2021. (Lead investigator)

3,300 €. Australian Synchrotron Access Program (AS/IA172/12797). “An XAS investigation of sulfur speciation during during abiotic sulfidization of antimony-rich ferrihydrite ” 2017. (Lead investigator)

7,500 €. Southern Cross Research Seed Grant. "Unraveling the role of nanoparticulate iron minerals as sinks for antimony in the environment."  2017. (Lead investigator: Edward D. Burton)

8,600 €. Southern Cross Research Seed Grant. Mineralogical controls on the mobility of Antimony in a tailings contaminated coastal wetland. 2015. (Lead investigator: Scott G. Johnston)

7,500 €. Southern Cross Research Seed Grant. New perspectives on antimony mobility in subsurface environments: resolving unexplored interactions with the sulfur cycle. 2015. (Lead investigator: Edward D. Burton)

95,500 € SNSF Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship (Grant P2EZP2_159106). „Exploring the coupling of antimony mobility to sulphur transformations in anoxic environments“. 2015-2017. (Lead investigator)

8,200 € armasuisse Immobilien, Eidgenössisches Departement für Verteidigung, Bevölkerungsschutz und Sport „Exploring seasonal effects in antimony and toxic metal leaching from acidic and calcareous shooting range soil“ 2014-2015. (Lead investigator)

31,700 €. armasuisse Immobilien, Eidgenössisches Departement für Verteidigung, Bevölkerungsschutz und Sport „Antimony and toxic metal leaching from shooting range soils under different soil management“ 2011-2013. (Lead investigator)

203,500 €. Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant 200021-13025). "Antimony leaching from contaminated soil under different water regimes" 2010-2013. (Project development and proposal writing; Lead applicant: R. Schulin)

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

I see teaching as my opportunity to have a tangible positive impact on my students and thereby on society. 

In my view, teaching is a simultaneous, interactive endeavor between me and my students. My classes are focused on learning theoretical concepts and real-world applications that help to understand and shape the big picture. I attempt to achieve this by integrating interactive assignments and innovative class activities into my courses.  My ultimate goal is to enable my students to think independently, to act pro-actively and to see the positive opportunities in challenging (or even impossible) tasks. 

I currently teach introductory and advanced courses across various disciplines in the fields of Environmental Geochemistry, Environmental Analytics  and Science Communication at University of Freiburg.  In addition, I have taught undergraduate and Master courses and organized field excursions in the Environmental Science program at ETH Zurich.

As formal proof of my teaching competencies, pedagogical qualification, and didactic skills, I have completed and received the internationally recognized Teaching Certificate in Higher Education of the Bavarian Universities (Advanced level, 120 units à 45 min).
 

LIST OF TEACHING ACTIVITIES (as per WS 2025/26)

• Aquatic geochemisty and pollutant dynamics (MSc Earth Sciences/MSc Hydrology)
• Water and environmental analytics (MSc Earth Sciences, MSc Hydrology) 
• Environmental case studies (MSc Earth Sciences)
• Isotope geochemistry: Stable isotopes (MSc Earth Sciences)
• Einführung in die Geochemie (BSc Geowissenschaften)
• Umweltgeochemie (BSc Geowissenschaften)
• Geolabor (BSc Geowissenschaften) 

PHD, MSC AND BSC STUDENT SUPERVISION
 

2023 - 2026: Xiaoqiao Tang - PhD thesis: "Abiotic ion oxide - sulfide interactions" (co-supervisor)

2022 - 2025: Laura Wegner - PhD thesis:  " Re-aeration of iron(III)-reducing environments: Exploring the coupling of antimony mobility and iron mineral precipitation". 

 

2025: Sarah Brinkheetker - MSc thesis: "Impact of Arsenic and Humic Acid on Antimony Immobilization during Aerobic Fe(II) Oxidation".
 

2024: Aura Ballesteros - MSc thesis: "influence of dissolved organic matter and arsenic on antimony sorption to ferrihydrite: insights into antimony immobilization mechanisms in mining environments".  

2024: Daria Vdovenko - MSc thesis: "Impact of organic matter on schwertmannite stability and phosphate retention".
 

2023: Lorenz Loos - MSc thesis: "Impact of quarry lakes on groundwater nitrate concentrations: An example from the Upper Main basin".

2021: Peter Uhuegbue - MSc thesis: "Effect of phosphate on schwertmannite stability and transformation".

2020: Laura Wegner - MSc thesis:  "Ferrous iron oxidation in the presence of antimonate: Mutual effects on iron mineral products and antimony sequestration".

2019: Sara Schlagenhauff - MSc thesis. "Antimony mobility and influence on secondary mineral pathways during iron(II)-catalyzed transformation of ferrihydrite".

2018: Jonas Schneider - MSc student project. "Sulfidization of As- und Sb-contaminated mining soil”.

2014: Laura Saputelli - BSc student project. "Effect of humic acids on Sb(V) leaching from goethite-coated sand columns".

2013: Sarah Aellen - BSc thesis. "Effect of waterlogging on the uptake of antimony and heavy metals by plants from shooting range soil under field-like conditions".

2010: Anja Sutter - BSc student project. "Sb(V) sorption to goethite: effect of pH and type of humic acid".

THE POWER OF SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

Mastering the art of science communication is essential for sparking enthusiasm in STEM fields. I'm excited to share my insights on effective science communication with students and early-career researchers. Reach out if you want to arrange a training with me! 

• 2019 - 2022: Annual 1.5-day workshop “Powerful science communication” for Early Career Researchers at the Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER).
• 2018: 1.5-day workshop “Presenting your science effectively and with confidence”, offered by the Gender Equity Division of University of Bayreuth (1.5 days).
• 2017: Two 0.5 day-workshops “Presenting Science” and "Managing the review process" for Early Career Researchers at Southern Cross GeoScience.