Mineral self-organization and prebiotic chemistry

Assist in conducting experiments on the early earth and the origin of life - experiments on prebiotic chemistry and mineral self-organization in a geochemical setting that emulates the early earth.

Your experimental work will involve:
i. Conducting reactions under controlled protection gas atmospheres to simulate primitive planetary environments.
ii. Handling high-intensity UV radiation and high-voltage electrical discharges to explore prebiotic energy sources.
iii. Preparing samples for light and electron microscopy to examine mineral and molecular structures.
iv. Performing derivatization for gas chromatography (GC) measurements to analyze prebiotic organic compounds.

You will also collaborate with the team in conducting molecular and spectroscopic analysis, utilizing:
i. UV-VIS, IR, and Solid State NMR spectroscopies for structural and chemical characterization.
ii. GC-MS and LC-MS coupled spectrometry for precise identification of organic compounds in complex mixtures.

This internship offers a unique opportunity to develop laboratory expertise, gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art analytical techniques, and contribute to fundamental research in astrobiology and prebiotic chemistry.