We are delighted to welcome new National Contacts for Argentina and Russia.
Celeste López-Abbate National Contact for Argentina
Dr. Celeste López-Abbate is an Associate Researcher at the Argentine Oceanographic Institute, dedicated to linking the diversity and activity of microbial plankton with the carbon fluxes of the Patagonian Sea (SW Atlantic Ocean). This region is a significant CO2 sequestration hotspot, but carbon subduction mechanisms are underexplored. Her research team studies microbial community structure, including viruses, and evaluates trophic transfer. They utilize chemical markers to assess the origin and degradability of dissolved organic carbon and employ experimental approaches to evaluate carbon transformation pathways. Additionally, they explore trends in inorganic carbon by evaluating the carbonate system. Understanding these mechanisms helps identify conditions that maximize carbon sequestration and their vulnerability to climate change. Her expertise in studying carbon pumps is valuable for transferring knowledge to policymakers, in response to the need to enhance the sustainability of port and industrial operations toward carbon neutrality.
Pavel Yu. Semkin National Contact for Russia
Dr. Pavel Yu. Semkin is a senior researcher specializing in ocean geochemistry and ecology. His primary research interests include the carbonate system of estuarine waters, carbon dioxide fluxes, hypoxia, and nutrient fluxes. Since 2010, he has participated in over thirty sea expeditions and approximately a hundred coastal expeditions, serving as a technical engineer, analyst, and operator. His research predominantly focuses on the estuaries of the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, the East Coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, and the Eastern Arctic. Currently, he heads the Hydrochemistry Laboratory at V.I. Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. The laboratory collaborates with major oceanological institutes and universities, facilitating interdisciplinary projects and communication within the marine science community in Russia.
In the meantime, we would like to express our gratitude to Alberto Piola and Pavel Tischenko for their dedicated support and contributions as the IMBeR National Contacts over the past years.
(In alphabetical order of last names)
More information about the National Contacts is available here.