Senior Lab Staff

David Fike

David Fike

I lead the Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Group, where our work focuses on using geochemical analyses (predominantly those of the stable isotopes of sulfur as well as carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen) to understand biogeochemical cycling in the modern and the ancient.

Jennifer Houghton

Jennifer Houghton

Research Scientist

Jen joined the research group in October 2011. Her research projects revolve around biogeochemical interactions between microbes and their environment in complex modern systems, including mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal vents and hypersaline photosynthetic microbial mats. Current projects include investigating the kinetics and fractionation of intermediate sulfur redox species mediated by growth of key hydrothermal microbes, using biogeochemical models to visualize C and S cycling within complex microbial networks, and investigating the effect of diel cycling on C, N, S isotopes of biomass in layered photosynthetic microbial mats.

Clive Jones

Clive Jones

Research Scientist

Clive joined the research group in July 2013, bringing extensive experience with secondary ion mass spectrometry. Here, Clive is the research scientist in charge of our new Cameca ins 7f/geo instrument (which arrived Dec 2013). In this role, Clive spearheads our SIMS-based research investigating micro-scale variations in the carbon and sulfur isotopic composition of biological and sedimentary materials. In addition, Clive facilitates the development of new analytical approaches for the instrument.

Kärt Paiste

Kärt Paiste

Marie Curie Postdoctoral Scholar

Kärt joined the research group in October 2020. Her research projects revolve around carbon and sulfur cycling associated with the Great Oxidation Event and she is investigating both pyrite and organic sulfur in bulk sediments and at the micro-scale. She works primarily with sediments from Karelia (Russia) and Gabon.

Graduate Students

R. Seth Wood

R. Seth Wood

PhD Student

Seth is a 3rd year student interested in developing a deeper and more rigorous understanding of a suite of carbonate-based geochemical proxies. His research to-date has focused on barite and carbonate mineral precipitation in modern methane seep settings on the Norwegian shelf and Barents Sea.

Our lab is currently looking for new members!  Please contact dfike@levee.wustl.edu with any questions you have regarding research or collaborative opportunities.