David Finkelstein

Jones Assistant Professor

Environmental Geochemistry

So, what do petroleum source rocks, water chemistry, limnogeology, climate change, characterization and examination of compound-specific isotopes of organic matter, and fire have in common? The simple answer is that they represent the broad range and focus of my research interests. My research focuses on solving problems that are field based (in both modern and deep time) that provide a temporal and spatial palette for subsequent laboratory analyses. My interests are interdisciplinary, and are limited only by the number of hours in a day and the amount of caffeine I consume. Recent and on-going research projects include: exploring microbial life and its organic–molecular and compound-specific δ¹³C and D/H signatures at the edge of hydration; characterizing the water chemistry of evaporative, basalt-hosted seeps, lakes, playas, and hot springs; investigating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons derived from wildfires in modern and ancient sediments; and characterizing oil–source rock correlations and their environments. Many of my Western U.S. based projects will be finding local counterparts based on my driving up and down Interstate 75. My goals for teaching upper level undergraduate and graduate students are simple—introduce them to the basic concepts and instrumentation and then let their imaginations and analyses (in part) guide them.