Renée in California, USA (Sept. 2016)

Renée using an ICP-MS at USC to measure trace metals in sediments from Peru (April 2014).

Renée collecting sediment samples for mercury analysis while working at the U.S. Geological Survey (July 2015).

About Renée

I am an isotope geochemist studying how life leaves behind chemical evidence, and how that evidence is preserved. I use traditional isotopic measurements in addition to newer techniques like position-specific and "clumped" isotope geochemistry.

I'm currently pursuing a PhD in Geochemistry at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, and I am working with Professors John Eiler and Dianne Newman.

My current main projects are: i) studying if any position-specific isotope effects are retained when kerogen is metamorphosed into graphite, and ii) seeing if metabolites have distinct clumped isotope signatures based on their reaction & synthesis pathway.

I have experience working in academia, the federal government, and private environmental consulting firms.

In addition to my geochemical interests, I strongly believe that scientists should improve their communities by increasing the number of women and minorities in STEM fields, and I am interested in working with people and organizations with similar goals. I am also interested in foreign languages and believe that the future of scientific research lies in international collaboration. I speak English, Chinese and French, and I am interested in collaborating with foreign scientists.

My goal is to become a leader in my field, and to eventually hold senior leadership positions in the sciences.