Introducing our doctoral researchers Shima, Ana Clara and Faez

A total of ten doctoral researchers have been recruited to the FluxBEATS network at the end of 2025, and we are in full operation.

This 5th FluxBEATS newsletter includes the introductions from our doctoral researchers Shima, Ana Clara and Faez.

Rock alteration as the key to unlocking deep-sea processes: Shima Soheili aims for a broader understanding of the seafloor

Shima Soheili joined the Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon Terre, Planètes, Environnement (LGL-TPE) at Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 in the beginning of November 2025.

Her research in the FluxBEATS position DC3  focuses on understanding hydrothermal systems and alteration processes in the oceanic lithosphere, particularly the relationships between tectonics, magmatism, and hydrothermal activity at slow-spreading ridges.

Shima completed her Bachelor of Science in Geology and her Master of Science in Petroleum Geology at the Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran, Iran. During her academic training, she gained laboratory experience in petrography, including thin section preparation and optical microscopy, as well as geochemical analysis techniques (e.g., ICP-OES). She also worked as a Research Assistant, where she developed skills in data organization, analysis, and scientific documentation.

Shima Soheili

The more you explore marine life, the more enchanting it becomes; you simply cannot stop searching!

“My master’s thesis explored the estimation of the quantity and maturity of total organic carbon in the Kazhdoumi Formation, Iran, using well-log and pyrolysis data”, Shima says.
 
“This work provided me with interdisciplinary experience combining rock physics, geophysics, and geochemistry, and strengthened my interest in understanding physical and chemical processes recorded in rocks”, she continues.
 
In FluxBEATS, Shima investigates hydrothermal processes at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with a particular focus on the Rainbow Massif, an ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal system. Her research aims to better understand the diversity and dynamics of seafloor hydrothermal environments by examining interactions between deformation, fluid circulation, and mineral alteration.
 
“I am especially fascinated by serpentinization processes, where the original minerals of the rock are transformed, and the geological record preserved in hydrothermal deposits, which provide important insights into seafloor evolution and global geochemical cycles”, Shima explains.

Photo caption: Serpentinized ultramafic rock displaying mineral veins formed by fluid circulation during hydrothermal alteration. These features provide valuable insights into fluid-rock interactions and the evolution of hydrothermal systems at the mid-ocean ridges. This sample was collected during the Arc-En-Sub Cruise in 2022. Photo: Shima Soheili.

What inspires Shima most in her work is the complexity of marine geological processes and the opportunity to investigate environments that remain largely unexplored. She is particularly motivated by how small-scale features, such as mineral veins in serpentinized rocks or hydrothermal chimneys, can reveal and shape large-scale geological and geodynamic processes. She is also enthusiastic about marine fieldwork and research cruises, which provide direct access to the environment she studies.
 
Beyond her research, Shima enjoys nature photography, cycling, and cooking. She is passionate about exploring natural environments and continuously learning from both scientific research and field experiences.

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Diving into deep time: Ana Clara Legora Woitech Hecksher studies ancient seafloor to better understand processes in the early Earth

Ana Clara Legora Woitech Hecksher joined the Centre of Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen in August 2025.

She started in the FluxBEATS position DC7 , and her research focuses on element fluxes in ancient seafloor hydrothermal systems, with the goal of better understanding geochemical fluxes in the early Earth. The rocks which Ana Clara studies were formed in Archean, which is some ca. 4000 to 2500 million years ago.

Before joining FluxBEATS, Ana Clara worked both in academia and in the mining industry. Her background is in geology and geophysics, and she has previously worked as an exploration and development manager in a gold mining company in Brazil.

Ana Clara Legora Woitech Hecksher

I find it particularly exciting that different geochemical signals can also provide clues about the evolution of the Earth’s crust and the development of the early continent.

“Alongside my industry experience, I have also been involved in academic research in regional geology, paleotectonic, geochronology and geochemistry, which motivated me to pursue a PhD”, Ana Clara says.
 
“What inspires me most in my work is the possibility of understanding large-scale geological processes by combining different types of geochemical data”, she continues.
 
Recently, Ana Clara has been especially fascinated by the geochemistry of sulfur and how much information can be obtained from studying a single element. Sulfur isotopes can record details about hydrothermal activity, ocean chemistry, and redox conditions, allowing us to reconstruct processes that happened billions of years ago.
 
“I find it particularly exciting that these geochemical signals can also provide clues about the evolution of the Earth’s crust and the development of the early continents”, Ana Clara explains.
 
By studying isotopic compositions in ancient hydrothermal and sedimentary systems, it is possible to investigate how weathering, crustal growth, and ocean chemistry changed through time and how these processes shaped the early Earth.
 
“Working with isotopes often feels like searching for hidden clues”, Ana Clara says and continues, “Small variations in isotopic composition can reveal the origin of a material or the processes it experienced, and I enjoy putting these pieces together to understand the history of our planet.”
 
Ana Clara is originally from Brazil. “Moving to Bergen to start my PhD has opened many new doors for me, both scientifically and personally”, she says.
 
Being part of an international research network has allowed her to interact with people from many different countries and academic backgrounds, which has been very enriching according to her.
 
“I really enjoy exchanging ideas with colleagues from different fields, because every conversation becomes an opportunity to learn something new”, Ana Clara says.
 
“Living in Norway has also introduced me to activities that were completely new to me, such as cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and I have been very excited to explore these winter sports. At the same time, I still enjoy climbing, yoga, and spending time outdoors, so Bergen has been a great place to combine my academic work with an active lifestyle close to nature.”

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Looking at the origins of life on the Earth – Faez Robin-Champigneul studies microbes living in the deep sea

Faez Robin-Champigneul joined the Centre of Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen in the beginning of November 2025.

He was recruited to the FluxBEATS position DC9, and he is studying the microbial communities hosted within the oceanic crust, which is likely one of the oldest and possibly largest microbial habitats on the Earth. 

“I will be studying how microbes grow on basalt, how their communities are structured and evolve, and how they influence dissolution rates in the ocean crust”, Faez explains.

Faez Robin-Champigneul

One of the most interesting aspects of my work, to me, is how universal the questions are, and how long we as humans have been asking ourselves the same things: where do we come from? How did life on Earth arise?

“I was very excited to start on this project and to contribute to our understanding of life”, Faez says. “I’m also eager to expand my own biology-oriented perspective by gaining more understanding of the geological side of things, in particular through the other doctoral researchers of the FluxBEATS network as well as the secondments organized as part of training.”

“My academic path so far has been rather all over the place”, Faez says. Before joining the FluxBEATS doctoral network, he has studied, for example, ecology and evolution at Maastricht University, the Netherlands, and linguistics at SOAS University of London, United Kingdom. 

“I have a MSc in palaeobiology, for which I studied one semester at the University of Lille in France and did the rest of my degree at Uppsala University in Sweden”, Faez tells. “It is through my master’s thesis that I entered into my current field of geo(micro)biology, where I studied phosphate biomineralization by a methanogen strain from the Tekirova ophiolite in Türkiye.”

“One of the most interesting aspects of my work, to me, is how universal the questions are, and how long we as humans have been asking ourselves the same things: where do we come from? How did life on Earth arise?”, Faez says. 

These questions surrounding the origins of life on Earth led him to geomicrobiology in the first place. Understanding how life works in extreme or unusual environments helps researchers shed more light on this topic. “This helps us also to imagine potential life beyond our planet”, Faez says and continues: “In this specific project, it also relates to how profound the effects of life have been on our planet, already long before the rise of multicellular life.”

In his free time, Faez enjoys reading, particularly fiction, playing flute, going out for coffee, and otherwise wandering about. 

“In Bergen, I particularly enjoy the landscape, I’ve already been up for a hike on Fløyen, and am looking forward to many more in Spring! In the winter I also very much enjoy going ice skating”, Faez adds.

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Meet the other PhD researchers!

Catch up on our previous newsletters: Meet Linus, Francesco and Jaime in here, and Martina, Lisa, Yadav and Jakob here. 

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FluxBEATS launches its Code of Conduct

In December 2025, the FluxBEATS team came together for an inspiring online workshop on “Equitable and Inclusive Collaboration” led by our deputy coordinator, Desiree Roerdink from the Centre for Deep Sea Research, the University of Bergen.

Together, our doctoral researchers and supervisors discussed barriers in scientific collaboration and co-created a Code of Conduct for the network.

With members from different countries, disciplines, languages, and cultural backgrounds, this Code reflects our commitment to respectful, inclusive, and transparent collaboration – helping make FluxBEATS a successful and diverse research community.

Check out the full Code of Conduct from our website.

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FluxBEATS is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.