Daniel is a Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences with a main background in structural geology and tectonics as well as fluid rock interactions. He was drawn to Earth Sciences in his childhood with his father being a mineral collector and a passionate hiker. During his career Daniel moved around Europe studying in Germany and Ireland. On finishing his PhD in Germany he became a research fellow at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Oslo, Norway. He returned to Germany as an Assistant Professor before moving to Glasgow University 4 years ago. In his research Daniel is interested in field observations, experiments and numerical modelling of Earth Processes on all scales including fault and fracture analysis and fluid rock interactions where fluid can be water, gas or magma. Daniel’s studied have taken him to many places including recent research in Peru, Brazil, Oman, Uganda and Namibia. He has a special focus on the East African Rift System having worked in the western part of the rift in Uganda for more than 10 years.

 

The proposed expedition to the Ol Doionyo Lengai area is a brilliant idea and will bring long-lasting international relationships and start new exiting teaching, research and outreach activities. The expedition has a very high value for the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences as well as the Earth Science Department in Dodoma: this is internationalization as its highest level. This will be the start of a new teaching and research collaboration, and being proposed and organized by students through ExSoc makes it even more valuable.

 

For Daniel this expedition will allow students from Glasgow and Dodoma to be involved in active interdisciplinary research between Volcanology and Structural Geology, which will open up career options and presents a level of interaction between Daniel and students that is normally not easy to achieve. From a research perspective, the field area represents a similar setting to the Ugandan field area where Daniel worked for a long time. Both are located at the end of major rift branches and show deep seated lavas and complex structures. Daniel will bring all his expertise in organizing field work in remote areas, his knowledge of Africa, and his experience in teaching and field work to the expedition.