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© Kristinn Ingvarsson

About me

My name is Sigurður (Siggi) Reynir Gíslason, I am a research professor at the University of Iceland's Institute of Earth Sciences. I received my PhD in geochemistry from the Johns Hopkins University 1985, under the supervision of Hans P. Eugster. My research group has focused on field and laboratory experiments related to mineral storage of CO2 in basaltic rocks as well as the chemical and physical erosion rates of basaltic terrains and their role in the global carbon cycle. We have also contributed to the understanding of the environmental impact of volcanic eruptions. I am the past president (2019-2020) of the European Association of Geochemistry, and the co-founder of Carbfix, and currently one of the three directors of Carbfix-consortium focusing on carbon capture and mineral storage. In 2012 I published a book in Icelandic on the global carbon cycle and over my carrier I have published over 100 scientific articles in peer-reviewed international journals. That can be found here and on Google Scholar. 

Professional Accomplishments

My main scientific contributions are 1) measuring the chemical and physical erosion rates of basaltic terrains and their role in the global carbon cycle, 2) quantifying the carbon storage potential of basaltic rocks, 3) measurement of the dissolution rates and dissolution mechanisms of volcanic glasses and minerals as a function of glass composition, aqueous solution composition and temperature and 4) assessing the environmental pressure from volcanic eruptions.

I am a Geochemical Fellow, a Fellow of the International Association of Geochemistry; a recipient of the Patterson Award of the Geochemical Society and the President of Iceland invested me with the Order of the Falcon first of January 2020. Furthermore, the Carbfix consortium is the 2020 co-recipient of the International Keeling Curve Award and The European Geothermal Energy Council´s Ruggero Bertani European Geothermal Innovation Award. 



7 key publications

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  • Matter JM, M Stute, SÓ Snæbjörnsdóttir, EH Oelkers, SR Gislason, E Aradottir, B. Sigfusson,
    I Gunnarsson, H. Sigurdardottir, E. Gunnlaugsson, G Axelsson, HA Alfredsson, D Wolff-Boenisch, K Mesfin, DFR Taya, J Hall, K Dideriksen, WS Broecker (2016). Rapid carbon mineralization for permanent and safe disposal of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions.  Science, 352 (6291), 1312-1314.
     

  • Gíslason S.R., G. Stefánsdóttir, M.A. Pfeffer, S. Barsotti, Th. Jóhannsson, I. Galeczka, E. Bali,
    O. Sigmarsson, A. Stefánsson, N.S. Keller, Á. Sigurdsson, B. Bergsson, B. Galle, V.C. Jacobo, S. Arellano, A. Aiupp, E.B. Jónasdóttir, E.S. Eiríksdóttir, S. Jakobsson, G.H. Guðfinnsson, S.A. Halldórsson, H. Gunnarsson, B. Haddadi, I. Jónsdóttir, Th. Thordarson, M. Riishuus, Th. Högnadóttir, T. Dürig, G.B.M. Pedersen, Á. Höskuldsson, M.T. Gudmundsson (2015).Environmental pressure from the 2014–15 eruption of Bárðarbunga volcano, Iceland. Geochemical Perspectives Letters (2015) 1, 84-93.
     

  • Gislason SR and Oelkers EH (2014).  Carbon Storage in Basalt. Science 344, 373-374.
     

  • Gislason, S.R.,T. Hassenkam, S. Nedel, N. Bovet, E. S. Eiriksdottir, H. A. Alfredsson, C. P. Hem, Z. I. Balogh, K. Dideriksen, N. Oskarsson, B. Sigfusson, G. Larsen, and S. L. S. Stipp (2011).  Characterization of Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash particles and a protocol for rapid risk assessment. PNAS 108, 7307-7312.
     

  • Gislason, Wolff-Boenisch, Stefansson, Oelkers, Gunnlaugsson , Sigurdardottir , Sigfusson , Broecker, Matter, Stute, Axelsson, Fridriksson (2010).  Mineral sequestration of carbon dioxide in basalt: A pre-injection overview of the CarbFix project.  International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 4, 537–545.
     

  • Gislason S.R., Oelkers E.H., Eiriksdottir E.S., Kardjilov M.I., Gisladottir G., Sigfusson B., Snorrason A., Elefsen S.O., Hardardottir J., Torssander P.,  Oskarsson N. (2009). Direct evidence of the feedback between climate and weathering. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 277, 213–222.
     

  • Gislason, S. R. and Oelkers, H. E. (2003). Mechanism, rates and consequences of basaltic glass dissolution: II. An experimental study of the dissolution rates of basaltic glass as a function of pH and temperature. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 67, 3817-3832.


Recent EU Grants
 

  • 675219 – METAL-AID – ITN-2015

  • 764760 - CarbFix2- H2020-LCE-2017-RES-CCS-RIA

  • 764810 — S4CE – Science for Clean Energy - RIA 


PhD Student Graduating Last Five Years
 

  • Deirdre Elizabeth Cark, PhD 2019

  • Rebecca Anna Neely, PhD 2017

  • Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir, PhD 2017

  • Eydís Salome Eiríksdóttir, PhD 2016

  • Helgi A. Alfreðsson, PhD 2015

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Sigurður Reynir Gíslason

Geochemist (Ph.D.)
Research professor

Nationality; Icelandic

Born; 9th of October 1957

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Phone: +(354) 525 4497
Email: sigrg (at)hi.is

Address: Institute of Earth Sciences
The Natural Science Building, Askja 
222 Sturlugata 7 IS-101
Reykjavík, Iceland

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