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About Me & CV

I am Louis-Alexandre Lobanov, a passionate planetary scientist focusing on meteorites at the Natural History Museum in London and Birkbeck, University of London. My PhD research is on Martian Meteorites - Nakhlites. 

 

Lab Skills – SEM/EPMA, micro-Raman Spectroscopy, Optical Petrography, MicroGC

Computing Skills - Python, Statistical Analysis, Machine Learning

Fieldwork Skills – Mapping, Sampling, Volcanology

Louis-Alexandre Lobanov doing fieldwork near a volcano

Education

2025 - 2029

PhD Researcher in Meteoritics and Planetary Science

PhD at the Natural History Museum in London and Birkbeck, University of London.

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Topic: “Petrologic and geochemical constraints on volcanic eruptions on Amazonian Mars”

Supervisors: Paul Schofield, Chiara Maria Petrone, Eleanor Jennings

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Nakhlites are unique and rare Martian meteorites. They represent evidence of volcanism on Mars from the Amazonian period, around 1.3 billion years ago. My PhD project is a multidisciplinary study of the petrology and geochemistry of Nakhlites to better constrain and understand the past volcanic history of Mars.

2021 - 2025

Bachelor of Science in Geology

Degree at Birkbeck, University of London specialising in Geochemistry, Igneous Petrology, and Meteoritics (1st Class Degree; Average: 87%)

 

Geology is the study of our planet. I chose it due to my lifelong passion for sciences and to help our world and society as well as better understand our planet and solar system around us. It is a crucial subject for the future of our world, one that is rapidly evolving and where innovation occurs every day.


My research project and dissertation is an international collaboration with the University of Chieti-Pescara in Italy. It focuses on the volcanological, petrological, and geochemical history of the Torre Alfina ultrapotassic volcano in central Italy. Dissertation Grade - 93%

Research Experience

May 2024 - June 2025

Birkbeck & Chieti-Pescara University

Torre Alfina, Italy & London, UK

Aug 2024 - Aug 2025

Birkbeck, University of London
London, UK

Jul 2024 - Aug 2024

Institute of Planetary Materials, Okayama University, Japan

Survey to Unravel the History of an Ultrapotassic Volcano: Torre Alfina (Italy)

Main Skills: EPMA, Mapping, Geochemistry, Igneous Petrology, Independent Research

Fieldwork - 3 weeks of geological and volcanological mapping and sampling of Torre Alfina

Lab work - 2 weeks of Electron Probe Micro-Analyser (EPMA) work at Birkbeck on collected samples

​Statistical Analysis of Ungrouped Iron Meteorites

Main Skills: Python, Statistical Analysis, Cosmochemistry, Meteoritics, Independent Research
Developed software to perform multivariate cluster analysis on Iron Meteorites
Worked on classifying and forming new clusters within ungrouped iron meteorites 

Organic-Mineral Interaction in Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorites

Research Focus: Organic-Mineral relationships in CM2 and CI1 Chondrites and understanding the insoluble organic material signature associated with different textures of phyllosilicate matrix.

Instruments Used: micro-Raman Spectroscopy, SEM-EDS, FTIR, EA-IRMS and SIMS.​​

Access Research Summary

October 2023

SEG and University of Naples Federico II

Naples, Italy

Geophysics Field Training in Pompeii, Italy in Gravity, Magnetic and GPR Survey

Field Training and group research project funded by the Society of Exploration Geophysics (SEG)

Main Skills: Fieldwork, Geophysics, GPR, Magnetics, Interdisciplinary Collaboration

We carried out Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Magnetic, Gravimetric, Resistivity, and Electromagnetic surveys to map the subsurface structures of buildings and to find unexcavated buildings. 

Jul 2023 - Aug 2023

INVOLCAN Volcanology Institute

Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Field & Lab Research in Hydrogeochemical and Soil CO2 Efflux Monitoring for Volcanic Monitoring

Field and Lab Research for the Canarian Institute of Volcanology

Main Skills: Volcano Monitoring, Geochemistry, Lab Skills, Gas Geochemistry

Performed in-situ pH, temperature, alkalinity, conductivity tests to monitor subterranean degassing - Instruments used weekly: Micro Gas Chromatography (MicroGC), Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (QMS), Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), Ion Chromatography and titrations to measure the Total Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (TDIC).

Mapped fumarole temperatures, CO2, and H2S in the crater of Mt. Teide 

Access News Article about my work 

Aug 2022 - Sept 2022

GeoTenerife

Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Volcanology Field Research Internship

Field training in Volcanology, Geology, Science Communication and Geophysics.

Main Skills: Fieldwork, Volcanology, Science Communication

Research Project: Mapping pumice fall deposits to retrace the eruptive history of Tenerife.

These smaller eruptions show a record of more frequent eruptions in the Las Cañadas complex than previously estimated and may have an impact on revising models of the eruptive history in Tenerife. 

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Awards and Grants

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Outreach, Teaching, Volunteering

  • Demonstrating Level 6 Module "Comets, Asteroids, and Meteorites" at Birkbeck, University of London

  • Demonstrating Level 6 Module "Planetary Interiors" at Birkbeck, University of London

  • Public outreach through social media on Instagram, Youtube, and X

  • President of the Birkbeck Geological & Planetary Science Society – 2021 - 2025

  • Course Representative at Birkbeck University – 2021-2024

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Other Skills, Certifications, Languages

  • Computational Skills: Python, Computer Vision, Power BI, Power Apps. Data Analysis, Machine Learning

  • Microsoft Certified Power Platform App Maker - PL100

  • Microsoft Certified Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals - AI900  

  • Microsoft Certified Power Platform Fundamentals - PL900 

  • Driving License Category B (Car)

  • Native Languages: English and French  

  • Other Languages: Russian, Greek, and Spanish 

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