Kerstin Hockmann

INTERESTS

My research interests lie at the interface of soil mineralogy and environmental geochemistry. I use an integrated approach that investigates the mutual controls between mineralogical transformations and (trace) element mobility in systems affected by anthropogenic activities. Specifically, my research explores how changes in redox status and associated iron and sulfur cycling impact the behaviour of contaminants and nutrients in our environment.  I also try to understand how anthropogenic elements themselves control secondary iron and sulfur mineral transformations – an important, but often neglected perspective in contaminant research. Methodologically,  I use field and laboratory experiments and combine them with advanced analytical tools including spectroscopic and microscopic methods to obtain a mechanistic description of soil chemical processes. My research thus provides a fundamental framework for the design of novel remediation approaches to protect our ground and surface water from contamination. 

 For details on my projects and a full publication list visit this link.

GETTING INVOLVED

Are you interested in my research or do you want to write your MSc or BSc project as part of one of my research projects? I'd love to hear from you and I'll always be happy to help.

EDUCATION AND POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING

Since 11/2017: Postdoctoral Researcher (including maternity leave for my second son)
"Outstanding Female Scholars for the University of Bayreuth". Grant program by the Female Professor Programme of Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research (Britta Planer-Friedrich and Stefan Peiffer), University of Bayreuth, Germany.

2015 – 2017: Postdoctoral Researcher
SNSF Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship
Southern Cross GeoScience (Edward Burton), Southern Cross University, Australia.

2009 – 2015: Research Associate (including maternity leave for my first son)
Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems (Rainer Schulin), ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Management of a lysimeter research project including acquisition of funds, coordination with stakeholders, and engangement in outreach activities.

2009 – 2014: PhD studies - Dr. sc. ETH Zurich
Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems (Rainer Schulin), ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Thesis title: "Antimony leaching from contaminated soil under changing redox conditions".

2002 – 2008: MSc and BSc studies (Diplom) of Geoecology (passed with distinction)
Technische Universität Braunschweig Germany.
MSc thesis project at the Swedish University of Agriculture, Uppsala: "Effects of non-equilibrium and non-ideal transport and transformation processes on pesticide leaching in a structured clay soil at Brimstone Farm (UK)".
BSc student research project project (5 months) at the German Development Service in Dumaguete, Philippines: "Assessment of a dumpsite in Dumaguete/Philippines with emphasis on groundwater quality".

AWARDS AND GRANTS

• Since 2016, I have been awarded more than 1000 hours of beamtime at the Australian Synchrotron as a principle and co-investigator and 95 hours of beamtime at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Centre (Taiwan) as a lead investigator .
• 15,573 €. Mobility grant from the Germany Academic Exchange Service (DAAD-PPP Australia): "Exploring antimony speciation and mobility in sulfidic soils and sediments." 2019-2020. (Lead investigator)
• 72,400 €. "Outstanding Female Scholars for the University of Bayreuth". Grant program by the Female Professor Programme of Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research. 2017-2019. (Lead investigator)
• 7,500 €. Southern Cross Research Seed Grant. "Unraveling the role of nanoparticulate iron minerals as sinks for antimony in the environment." 2017. (Lead investigator: Edward D. Burton)
• 95,500 € SNSF Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship (Grant P2EZP2_159106). „Exploring the coupling of antimony mobility to sulphur transformations in anoxic environments“. 2015-2017. (Lead investigator)
• ETH Medal Award for outstanding Doctoral Thesis (2015).
• Environmental Chemistry award for the best oral presentation (12^th International Conference on Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements in the Environment ICOBTE, Athens, Georgia, USA, 2013).
• 38,900 €. armasuisse Immobilien, Eidgenössisches Departement für Verteidigung, Bevölkerungsschutz und Sport „Antimony and toxic metal leaching from shooting range soils under different soil management“ 2011-2015. (Lead investigator)
• Environmental Chemistry student award for the best oral presentation (2^nd International Workshop on Antimony in the Environment, Jena, Germany, 2011).
• 203,500 €. Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant 200021-13025). "Antimony leaching from contaminated soil under different water regimes" 2010-2013. (Project development and proposal writing; Lead applicant: R. Schulin)
• Diplom (M.Sc.) faculty award (2008) for excellence in studies of geoecology.
• Scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes) for studies of geoecology (2005 – 2008).
• Vordiplom (B.Sc.) university award (2005) for excellent studies.

BEYOND SCIENCE

Effective communication of science is vital to developing enthusiasm for STEM and helps to engage the audience in your presentation. I therefore relish the opportunity to share my concepts of powerful science communication in the community. Approach me if you want to arrange a training with me! Past workshop experiences include:

• 2019 & 2020: 1.5-day workshop “Powerful science communication” for Early Career Researchers at the Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER).
• 2018: 1.5-day workshop “Presenting your science effectively and with confidence”, offered by the Gender Equity Division of University of Bayreuth (1.5 days).
• 2017: Two 0.5 day-workshops “Presenting Science” and "Managing the review process" for Early Career Researchers at Southern Cross GeoScience.

My compete and up-to-date publication list be found on my personal homepage.

Ausgewählte Publikationen

Peer reviewed

2021

Karimian, N., Hockmann, K., Planer-Friedrich, B., Johnston, S., Burton, E.: Antimonate Controls Manganese(II)-Induced Transformation of Birnessite at a Circumneutral pH. Environmental Science & Technology, 55(14), 9854-9863 (2021).
doi:10.1021/acs.est.1c00916

Hockmann, K., Karimian, N., Schlagenhauff, S., Planer-Friedrich, B., Burton, E.: Impact of Antimony(V) on Iron(II)-Catalyzed Ferrihydrite Transformation Pathways : A Novel Mineral Switch for Feroxyhyte Formation. Environmental Science & Technology, 55(8), 4954-4963 (2021).
doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c08660

2020

Hockmann, K., Planer-Friedrich, B., Johnston, S., Peiffer, S., Burton, E.: Antimony mobility in sulfidic systems : Coupling with sulfide-induced iron oxide transformations. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 282, 276-296 (2020).
doi:10.1016/j.gca.2020.05.024