All current GS members are eligible to vote in the Board of Directors election. Voting instructions were sent on December 1. Please contact gsoffice@geochemsoc.org if you have any questions about how to vote or did not receive the ballot. The last day to vote is December 22.
Information from each candidate is presented below. Click on a candidate's name to visit their web page.
Vice President
The Vice President nominates members and chairs of the various committees of the society and serves on the Board as a voting member. The Vice President is elected for a two-year term, followed by a two-year term as President, then a two-year term as Past President. He or she also serves on the Goldschmidt Forum, the governing body of the Goldschmidt Conference.
Shogo Tachibana is a Professor of Cosmochemistry in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science and the Director of the UTokyo Organization of Planetary and Space Science at the University of Tokyo. He is also a Specially Appointed Professor at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA. His research focuses on the chemical evolution of the early Solar System, integrating laboratory experiments, analysis of extraterrestrial materials, astronomical observations, chemical and physical modeling of protoplanetary disks, and Solar System exploration (including JAXA’s Hayabusa2 mission). He has served on the Joint Publications Committee since 2023 and is currently the chair. He served as General Secretary of the Geochemical Society of Japan (GSJ) from 2016 to 2017, during which he contributed to the GSJ’s authorization as a General Incorporated Association. He also served as a GSJ’s board member from 2016 to 2019 and from 2023, and he is currently responsible for international affairs of the GSJ. He served on the H.C. Urey Award Committee of the European Association of Geochemistry from 2019 to 2022. In addition, he has served as a theme chair for the Goldschmidt Conference in 2016, 2019, and 2025, and on the Science Committee for Goldschmidt 2026. He delivered the Paul Gast Lecture in 2016.
International Secretary
The International Secretary is responsible for outreach to scientists and students in countries that are under-represented in the society's membership, as well as communication with international geological organizations. This is a three-year term of service.
Frances Jenner is a senior lecturer (associate professor) and Deputy Director of Teaching in the School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at The Open University, UK. Her research focusses on the use of geochemistry for understanding the evolution of the Earth's mantle and the processes that create heterogeneity in the compositions of magmas that erupt at different tectonic settings. She is a member of the Geochemical Society Board of Directors (International Secretary), has served on the Nominations Committee, the Ethics Committee, as editor for the weekly Geochemical Society newsletter, and as Theme Chair for Goldschmidt 2022.
Secretary
The Secretary maintains the Bylaws, records Board votes and meeting minutes, and serves as the Geochemical Society representative on the Elements Executive Council. This is a three-year term of service.
Ben Tutolo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment at the University of Calgary. He works to understand how interactions between rocks, water, and gases affect life on Earth and, potentially, Mars. His ongoing major research projects include efforts to mineralize carbon via reaction with (ultra)mafic lithologies and investigating Martian habitability as Participating Scientist on NASA’s Curiosity Rover mission to Mars. Ben has served as Associate Editor for Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta and Secretary of the Geochemical Society since 2023.
Treasurer
The Treasurer maintains the financial records of the society, ensures compliance with tax filing regulations, and chairs the Finance Committee. The Treasurer is elected for a three-year term.
Haibo Zou is a Professor of Geology and Associate Chair in the Department of Geosciences at Auburn University, USA. His research areas include isotope geochemistry, igneous petrology, volcanology, and theoretical geochemistry. He received his B.S. and M.S. from Nanjing University, Ph.D. from Florida State University, and did postdoctoral research at the University of California at Los Angeles with a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS Fellow), a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, and Treasurer of the Geochemical Society since 2020. He is the author of the book Quantitative Geochemistry and an author of 120 articles in international journals.
Non-Officer Director
Non-Officer Directors participate in Board discussions and serve on the Board as voting members. This is a three-year term of service. In order for the Board membership to reflect the regional diversity of the Society membership, this year requires election of one director from Europe (Region 2).
Director Region 2
(Select ONE)
Jagannath Biswakarma is currently a Senior Research Associate in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol, UK. He focuses on investigating molecular-scale processes that govern contaminant mobility, the redox transformations of iron minerals, and soil and water quality in vulnerable regions, particularly in South and Southeast Asia. His research integrates synchrotron spectroscopy, mineralogy, and field studies to address global contamination challenges and inform science-policy frameworks. Dr. Biswakarma has been an active volunteer in the geochemistry community, including prior service with the Geochemical Society as a Goldschmidt session convener, reviewer, and contributor to outreach and diversity initiatives, as well as service with other organisations such as the UK Mineralogical Society. He is committed to advancing collaboration, communication, and equitable research opportunities across the global geochemical community.
JANNE KOORNNEEF
Janne Koornneef is an associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Her research focuses on the geochemical evolution of the Earth's mantle and the impact of tectonic processes acting over billions of years. She specifically examines the exchange of elements between the mantle, crust, and atmosphere by subduction and magmatism. Her expertise lies in the analysis of radiogenic isotopes in small samples, such as melt inclusions in olivine or mineral inclusions in diamonds. She is head of the Netherlands Isotope Geochemistry Laboratory (NIGEL), where broad multidisciplinary geochemical research is conducted in Earth and Planetary Sciences, Archaeology, Forensics and Cultural Heritage science. She has served on the EAG council and was chair of the EAG Communications committee between 2021 and 2024.
Director - Early Career Researcher
Candidates for this board position are early career researchers, defined as higher degree (beyond Bachelors level) students in good standing who 1) have completed at least 2 years of a PhD program (e.g., equivalent to having passed qualifying or mid-term exams where applicable) OR 2) postdoctoral researchers or faculty within 4 years of being awarded their PhD, OR 3) employees in a geochemistry-related industry within 4 years of last degree completion at the year of nomination. This position has a two-year term of service. Candidates submitted statements of interest as part of the nomination process.
(Select ONE)
Statement of Interest
This position offers a meaningful way to give back to the community that has shaped my scientific journey and to support other early career scientists navigating similar paths. Currently, I am pursuing my doctoral research at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, where I study basalt weathering and its geochemical evolution, with a focus on the formation of laterites. My work combines field studies, petrographic analyses, and reactive transport modelling to understand how mineral-scale reactions transform the Earth’s critical zone. What excites me most about geochemistry is its ability to connect microscopic processes to global-scale environmental change—insights that are vital in our changing world.
My academic journey has been enriched by consistent engagement with the GS community. I first attended the Goldschmidt Conference in 2022, just one year into my PhD. It was a transformative experience that introduced me to the breadth of work happening across the globe and helped me feel part of something larger. In 2023, I participated in a pre-conference workshop that significantly deepened my skills and expanded my network. I presented my research at Goldschmidt 2024 and will do so again in 2025. I was also fortunate to attend the Reactive Transport Modelling Summer Institute in France, where I collaborated closely with international researchers and experienced the value of interdisciplinary and cross-cultural exchange.
These experiences have made me aware of both the immense opportunities and the very real barriers ECRs face—especially those from underrepresented regions. Access to mentorship, visibility, funding, and community are unevenly distributed. I see the ECR Director position as a chance to help address these imbalances.
If elected, I would prioritize:
1. Promoting global inclusivity by advocating for greater representation and support for ECRs from underrepresented regions, particularly the Global South.
2. Creating stronger peer networks through mentoring programs, regional meetups, and community-building initiatives.
3. Improving access to leadership pathways by making GS opportunities more transparent and approachable for early-career members.
4. Strengthening connections with GS committees, ensuring ECR perspectives inform society-level decisions around programming, outreach, and diversity.
5. Supporting professional development, particularly in areas like science communication, interdisciplinary research, and publishing—areas that have shaped my own growth.
I bring to this role not only research experience and an international perspective, but also a sincere commitment to service and community building. I believe ECRs have fresh energy, creativity, and a unique lens on the future of my field—and I hope to help amplify those voices. It would be an honour to serve on the GS Board and contribute to a more inclusive, connected, and empowered geochemical community. Thank you for considering my candidacy.
ANUJ KUMAR SINGH
Statement of Interest
It would be a privilege to contribute to the strategic direction and global outreach of a society that plays such a vital role in advancing geochemical research, collaboration, and education. I bring with me over a decade of research experience in the Earth and planetary sciences, with specific expertise in impact cratering processes, isotope geochemistry, and environmental geochemistry. I currently serve as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology at Nilamber Pitamber University (NPU), Jharkhand, India where I engage in both teaching and multidisciplinary research, ranging from the experimental petrology of planetary analogues to the monitoring of environmental pollutants using geochemical proxies.
In addition to my teaching and research roles, I have served as Executive Secretary for the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) - Goal 2 Committee, Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)/USRA, NASA, USA, under the theme “Understanding the geologic processes that shaped the early Earth that are best preserved on the Moon.” I have also assisted as an Early Career Member of the Scientific Organizing Committee for the 87th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (MetSoc-2024, July 28-August 2, 2024, Brussels, Belgium), contributing to the planning and coordination of conference sessions in planetary and impact processes. Additionally, I act as a Reviewer for reputed journals including Meteoritics and Planetary Science (Wiley, USA), Geological Journal (Wiley, USA), Journal of the Geological Society of India (Springer, India), and Geosciences Journal (Springer, Korea).
My doctoral (Title of the PhD Thesis - Dhala impact structure, north-central India: Experimental petrology and geochemistry of impactites and target rocks) research, supported by CSIR-JRF, CSIR-SPM, and DST-INSPIRE fellowships, exclusively focused on the geochemical and petrological characterization of Dhala impact structure. In addition, I have been working on two other Indian impact structures: a) the Lonar crater (since my post-graduate dissertation project in 2016) and b) the Ramgarh impact structure (since January 2022). I have also had the opportunity to conduct fieldwork with international collaborators, including renowned impact cratering experts, further enriching my global research perspective.
As an early career board member of the Geochemical Society, I hope to advance several key goals, for example,
1. Strengthening Global Inclusion: I will work to increase representation and involvement from researchers in developing countries, especially South Asia and Africa, by improving access to society resources, facilitating low-cost memberships, and supporting travel grants for early-career researchers.
2. Promoting Early-Career Support: I aim to expand mentorship and funding opportunities for graduate students and postdocs by initiating new workshops, webinars, and grant-writing bootcamps hosted in collaboration with senior scientists.
3. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: My background bridges planetary science, environmental geochemistry, and experimental petrology. I will advocate for more interdisciplinary panels and sessions at Goldschmidt and other society conferences to foster cross-pollination between subfields.
4. Outreach and Public Engagement: I am passionate about public science communication and would support initiatives that engage with schools, policymakers, and the media to communicate geochemistry’s relevance to climate change, sustainability, and planetary exploration.
I believe that the Geochemical Society should not only promote front-line science but also actively nurture diversity, equity, and inclusiveness across the geoscience community. My service on various university and national committees related to curriculum design, environmental impact assessment, and international collaboration has equipped me with the administrative and interpersonal skills necessary to contribute effectively to the Board. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to give back to a society that has shaped my academic journey and professional network. Thank you for considering my nomination. I look forward to the possibility of serving the Society and its vibrant global membership.
Statement of Interest
My fascination into geochemistry began with my master’s studies at China University of Mining and Technology in Beijing, where I studied the geochemistry of rare earth elements in coal and their hydrometallurgical extraction from coal ash. I then moved on to pursue my PhD at Duke University in the U.S. with a research focus on developing and applying geochemical and isotopic tools for tracing anthropogenic contamination in the environment. After graduating in 2023, I started my postdoctoral research in Australia, focusing on the geochemistry of critical minerals in both ore deposits and mine wastes, initially at Monash University and currently at Curtin University.
I am motivated to join the Board of Directors (BOD) for the Geochemical Society (GS) because of my enthusiasm in advancing both fundamental and applied geochemistry and promoting excellence in geochemical research and fostering a diverse, inclusive, and dynamic global geochemistry community, which aligns perfectly with GS’s mission. As an early career geochemist, I am passionate about engaging in various professional services that can represent and promote the early career researcher (ECR) cohort in the field of geochemistry. For example, I am an active member sitting on the Training and Outreach Committee for the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG), in which role I have been participating in reviewing applications for and discussing and deciding the Student Sponsorship and Early Career Researcher Ambassadorship Awards. I also served on the ECR Committee in the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment at Monash University. In this role, I regularly communicated with other ECRs and gathered their voices and stories to share with the rest of the School via forms like Newsletter and organising social events like ECR Professional Development Workshop to enhance networking and connections.
These valuable experiences in professional service have trained me well to engage more closely with the global geochemistry community and further my efforts in representing the voices of ECRs in the broader society. During my scientific training, I have benefited greatly from multiple supports at the university, organisation, and society levels, including the ECR Professional Development Grant from the Faculty of Science at Monash University, ECR Research Grant from the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE), and Graduate Student Research Grant and Travel Grants from the Geological Society of America (GSA). In return, if elected, I would like to work along with other fellow directors and GS members to create and allocate more resources and opportunities to support academic research and professional development for ECRs across geographic regions. I believe my international perspectives as an ECR who has had first-hand experiences in the geochemistry communities from the U.S., China, and Australia would also be beneficial to the society.