On May 15th, a seminar was held at the University of Oslo, where Joanna Dziadkowiec, a researcher at NJORD (Centre for Studies of the Physics of the Earth), was awarded for her significant contributions in the field of mineral surfaces. The Else-Ragnhild Neumann Award honors young female researchers who make significant contributions to geoscientific research.
Joanna Dziadkowiec expressed her gratitude for the recognition. She is a researcher at the NJORD centre at University of Oslo. She is currently working on the project REACTivity under confinement, funded by the Research Council of Norway.
On the seminar Else-Ragnhild Neumann, Professor Emerita at Dept. of Geosciences and PHAB was present and highlighted the award presentation.
Growth of minerals
As part of the event, Dziadkowiec delivered an lecture about titled "Mineral Surfaces Under Confinement."
The seminar attracted a diverse audience of students, faculty, and researchers interested in the intricate interplay between mineral surfaces and their behavior under various confinement conditions.
Dziadkowiec’s research explores the fundamental properties of minerals, particularly how they interact with fluids when subjected to confinement. This research has important implications for environmental science, geology, and materials science.
Minerals wich develop under the spatial confinement of pores, can lead to significant consequences for various systems and constructions. These environments range from built cultural heritage and modern infrastructure, where crystallization can cause disintegration, to geological formations, where mineral replacement may result in fracturing and cohesive failure. Moreover, in subsurface geological reservoirs, the anthropogenic injection of CO2 alters existing mineral assemblages, potentially affecting the reservoir's permeability. In Portland cement, the dynamics of mineral dissolution and reprecipitation are crucial for maintaining its cohesive properties.
About the Else-Ragnhild Neumann Award
The Else-Ragnhild Neumann Award for Women in Geosciences goes to women who have made a significant contribution to geosciences in their PhD or postdoctoral research. Else-Ragnhild Neumann is Norway's first female professor of geology.