Support 2026

Theresa Wietelmann | Organic Geochemistry | University of Basel

Participation at EGU26 Vienna, Austria

Assessing sensitivity of sedimentary proxies to reconstruct algae dynamics

Thanks to the generous support of CH-QUAT, I had the chance to present a poster at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2026 (EGU26) in Vienna. This conference annually brings together researchers from a broad spectrum of geoscience disciplines.

Within my PhD project, I combine organic geochemical proxies with sedimentary DNA analyses to investigate algal population dynamics in response to known anthropogenic forcings in the past. The presented work examined potential algal community shifts in two differently affected lakes, Owasco Lake and Skaneateles Lake, located in the Finger Lakes region in the United States of America, in the context of increasing eutrophication. Our findings are in accordance with observations and further extend our knowledge of algal community composition prior to the monitoring period.

Presenting my research at EGU26 allowed me to engage with a diverse international scientific community, to receive valuable feedback through stimulating discussions and to build connections with researchers in the same field. I am very grateful to CH-QUAT for making this opportunity possible!

Contact: theresa.wietelmann@unibas.ch

Maria Grozeva | Geology | ETH Zurich

CH-QUAT support for attending COSMO2026: The 7th conference on cosmogenic nuclides

Reconstructing the burial history of glacially deposited sediments in overdeepened valleys remains a central challenge in Quaternary geology. A range of absolute dating techniques—such as luminescence dating, cosmogenic nuclide dating, and helium dating (He/U-Th in pore water)—along with relative methods like the analysis of sedimentary successions, can be used to address this problem.

For my Master’s thesis, I am evaluating the applicability of the CosmoChron age–depth model to cosmogenic ²⁶Al/¹⁰Be data obtained from deep drill-core sediments from overdeepened valleys in the Swiss Alpine foreland. CosmoChron is a versatile modeling framework that integrates cosmogenic-nuclide concentrations with independent age constraints to reconstruct sediment accumulation and burial histories (Sørensen et al., 2024).

In June 2026, I presented this work at COSMO2026 in Aix-en-Provence, where I had the opportunity to discuss my methodology and preliminary results with leading researchers in the field of cosmogenic nuclide dating. The conference provided valuable feedback on the application of the CosmoChron framework to my dataset and allowed me to connect with the wider Quaternary geochronology community.

The financial support from CH-QUAT made it possible for me to attend this conference, cover my travel and accommodation costs, and present my Master's research to an international audience. I am very grateful for this support.