Since October 2010 Martijn is coordinator of the Darwin Center for Biogeosciences.

PhD research on Triassic-Jurassic boundary

'The field of geosciences is definitely not new to me. I studied geology at Utrecht University and after that I spent five years of my life in the bunker in the botanical gardens, also called paleomagnetic laboratorium ‘Fort hoofddijk’.  My PhD research involved the Triassic-Jurassic boundary (~200 million years ago), which is known as one of the most severe mass extinction events in history of the world. In this research I constructed a timeframe in which all important events from different localities around the world could be tied into. A multi-disciplinary approach was essential and therefore I worked together with Nina Bonis and Micha Ruhl, -‘from the other side’ - both in the biogeosciences group. Most of the Darwin researchers from Utrecht will therefore be no strangers to me.'

Beautiful planet

The work I will be doing for the Darwin Center will, for the greatest part, be new to me. The main theme of the center, understanding global change, however, is not new to me at all. I think the research carried out by this center is extremely interesting and is really contributing to a better understanding of the (past) processes on our beautiful planet. 

Meet

Therefore I am definitely looking forward to meet you all soon to hear more about the research which you are currently carrying out in the Darwin Center on for example the upcoming Christmas lecture (12 December) and of course the Darwin days 2011 (7-8 February).

Contact

E-mail: deenen@geo.uu.nl

T: 030 - 253 5169