Ben Gilfedder: Curriculum Vitae
CV
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name: Benjamin Silas Gilfedder
Date of Birth: 23rd of March 1982
Nationality: Australian
Contact Details: benjamin.gilfedder@uni-bayreuth.de
Ph. +49-921-55-2223
Work Address:
Limnologische Forschungsstation
Universitätsstr. 30
95447 Bayreuth
Career Goals
As an aqueous geochemist my career goal is to further our understanding of element cycles in the aquatic systems. In particular I focus on understanding the coupling between biogeochemical reaction, biological processes and how they interact with hydrology. I am currently working on developing and using high resolution field based instrumentation to 1) landscape controls on groundwater exchange with lakes and rivers, and 2) understand the short term dynamics of groundwater-surface water exchange in response to extreme events and understanding how this effects biogeochemical reaction and their ecological consequences.
Education and professional experience
2013-Present: Assistant position in the Limnological Research Station (Leiter) and Department of Hydrology, University of Bayreuth
This position involves developing a research group and running undergraduate and master’s teaching programs. I focus my research on short-term variations in groundwater-surface water interactions, and coupling with biogeochemistry.
2011-2013: Post doctoral Research Fellow, School of Geosciences, Monash University, Australia
I was working on groundwater-surface water interactions, with a particular focus on developing and deploying instruments for high resolution tracing of groundwater surface water exchange wetlands, rivers and lakes. Focus on using 222Rn as a high resolution tracer.
2008- 2010 Post-doctoral position at the Institute for Environmental Geology, TU-Braunschweig
Research focus on iodine concentrations and speciation in Antarctic aerosols and snow (from snow pits) as well as developing a new method for total iodine in aerosol filter samples. Teaching selected topics in the geochemistry and running tutorials for geochemistry, mineralogy and scientific writing.
2005 –2008: PhD in Environmental Geochemistry
Institute for Environmental Geochemistry, Heidelberg University, Germany supervised by Prof. Harald Biester. (Summa cum Laude).
This project focused on the chemistry and cycling of halogens iodine and bromine in the atmosphere (aerosols and precipitation) and hydrosphere (Lake Constance and the Mummelsee and their associated tributaries). I also developed a new method to measure total iodine in soils and sediments. My thesis was composed of 5 published papers.
2004 First class Honours degree (highest award) under Professor Bernd Lottermoser at James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
My Honours project was focused on geochemical and mineralogical processes occurring in tailings from the world’s largest of Pb and Ag mine (BHP-Cannington Australia), and the most appropriate method to isolate these multi-metal and metaloid contaminated wastes from the surrounding environment. The Honours work resulted in a book chapter contribution.
2001 – 2003 Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science)
James Cook University (Cairns Campus) Australia. During my degree I concentrated on the Earth Sciences with a focus on geochemistry.
1994 - 2000 Kyogle High School graduation.
Selected Publications
Pittroff, M., Frei, S., Gilfedder, B.S., (2017): Quantifying nitrate and oxygen reduction rates in the hyporheic zone using 222Rn to upscale biogeochemical turnover in rivers, Water Resources Research, Accepted, doi: 10.1002/2016WR018917.
Gilfedder, B.S., Frei, S., Hofmann, H., Cartwright, I., (2015), Groundwater discharge to wetlands driven by storm and flood events: Quantification using continuous Radon-222 and electrical conductivity measurements and dynamic mass-balance modelling, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 165, 161–177, doi:110.1016/j.gca.2015.1005.1037.
Cartwright, I; Gilfedder, B., (2015), Mapping and quantifying groundwater inflows to Deep Creek (Maribyrnong catchment, SE Australia) using 222Rn, implications for protecting groundwater-dependant ecosystems, Applied Geochemistry, 52, 118-129
Frei, S., Gilfedder, B.S., (2015): Technical Note: FINIFLUX an implicit Finite Element model for quantification of groundwater fluxes and hyporheic exchange in streams and rivers using Radon, Water Resources Research, 51, 6776–6786, doi: 10.1002/2015WR017212
Unland, N., Cartwright, I., Daly, E., Gilfedder, B.S., Atkinson, AP., (2015) Dynamic river - groundwater exchange in the presence of a saline, semi - confined aquifer, Hydrological Processes, 4817–4829, doi: 10.1002/ hyp.10525.
Atkinson, AP., Cartwright, I., Gilfedder, B.S., Cendon., DI., Unland, N., Hofmann, H., (2014): Using 14C and 3H to understand groundwater flow and recharge in an aquifer window, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 18(12), 4951-4964, doi: 10.5194/hess-18-4951-2014
Gilfedder, B. S., Hofmann H., Cartwright I., (2013), Novel instruments for in-situ continuous Rn-222 measurement in groundwater and the application to river bank infiltration, Environmental Science and Technology, 47, 993-1000.