Being passionate about geology from a young age, I have spent many holidays in the Scottish Highlands, which forged a deep connection with the Earth and its components and dynamics. This led me to apply for Earth Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where I specialized in Geology & Geochemistry. I have always been particularly intrigued by how rocks and minerals are reshaped by metamorphic processes deep within the Earth's crust, and how they are eventually brought up high into the sky. While sitting on those billion-year-old formations, I can't help but contemplate on how we are merely transient travelers in a world so ancient and unfathomable.

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Alongside my study, I have worked as a student assistant in an isotope (geo)chemistry lab for 3.5 years, working with a diverse set of geological, biological, and archaeological samples. This extended my interest in other fields of research. When the realm of micrometeorites crossed my path, I was captivated by the simple fact that they are so abundant, yet so rare and unknown. Since then, I have dedicated a lot of time to studying micrometeorites.

 

Being able to hold a piece of the cosmos at the tip of your finger is a truly otherworldly experience. But what fascinates me most about micrometeorites is their resemblance to the Earth itself. Many processes observed on and within the Earth – crystallization, chemical and isotope fractionation, core formation, element partitioning, degassing, and weathering – can be directly applied to micrometeorites. This has helped me to study micrometeorites from a petrological and geochemical perspective to better understand their origin and thermal metamorphosis in the Earth's atmosphere.

 

As such, micrometeorites allow us to look back in time to understand how the Solar System, including the Earth, formed from the dusty remains of dead stars. Each micrometeorite tells a unique story and is a reminder of the very thing we are all made of, stardust!