"Achieving international distinction for creativity, innovation and excellence in geographical, geological and environmental education, research and outreach."

Publications

Papers
Presentations (selected)
Conference Posters

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Papers

Herd, C.D.K., Blinova, A., Simkus, D.N., Huang, Y., Tarozo, R.,  Alexander , C.M.O’D., Gyngard, F., Nittler, L.R., Cody, G.D, Kebukawa, Y., Kilcoyne, A.L.D., Hilts R.W., Slater G.F., Glavin D.P., Dworkin J.P, Callahan, M.P., Elsila J.E., DeGregorio, B.T., Stroud, R.M. (2011) Origin and evolution of prebiotic organic matter as inferred from the Tagish Lake meteorite. Science  332, 1304-1307.

 

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Presentations (selected)

 

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Conference Posters

Simkus, D.N., Herd, C.D.K., Hilts, R.W. (2011) Amino acids in the Tagish Lake meteorite. Sao Paulo Advanced School of Astrobiology, Sao Paulo, Brazil, December 11-20, 2011.

Simkus, D.N., Herd, C.D.K., Hilts, R.W. (2010) Amino acids in the Tagish Lake meteorite. GeoCanada, Calgary, Alberta, May 10-14, 2010.

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Teaching

McMaster University	ENVIR SC 1B03, Environmental systems, 2012-13	T.A.
McMaster University	EARTH/ENVIR SC 2E03 Earth History, 2012-13	T.A.
McMaster University	EARTH SC/ENVIR SC 4N03, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 2011-12	T.A.
McMaster University	ENVIR SC 1B03, Environmental systems, 2011-12	T.A.
McMaster University	EARTH/ENVIR SC 2E03 Earth History, 2011-12	T.A.

 

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Affiliations

• Canadian Astrobiology Training Program
  

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Research

Research Interests:

• Astrobiology
• Biosignatures
• Organic geochemistry
• Isotope geochemistry

Thesis Summary:

For my Master’s research project, I am investigating the geochemistry of deep terrestrial subsurface environments in Canada and South Africa. Many sites in these astrobiological analogue systems host microbial communities that are believed to produce large quantities of hydrocarbon gases, primarily methane. However, using isotopic analyses, it has been recently discovered that, in some systems, a large proportion of hydrocarbon gases from deep subsurface environments have abiogenic signatures (Sherwood Lollar et al., 2002). The presence of both biotically and abiotically controlled systems in the subsurface provides an opportunity to investigate and characterize the differences between abiosignatures and biosignatures. Understanding these differences will likely be a critical component of identifying extraterrestrial microbial life. For my project, I will analyze the distributions and isotopic compositions of lipids and fatty acids in these systems in order to gain insight into how these microbial communities tie-in with the global carbon cycle and develop a greater understanding of biosignatures and abiosignatures that are potentially present on Mars.

 

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Service

 

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