Coordinators
Guto (Paulo Paiva-Silva)
Guto is currently a PhD student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil), working on petrochronological constraints to better understand the geodynamic evolution of the Raspas Metamorphic Complex (SW Ecuador). Previous works during his undergraduate and Master’s studies focused on the metamorphic characterisation of metapelites from the Araçuaí Orogen and the Quadrilátero Ferrífero (MG, Brazil). Research interests are mainly in the field of petrochronology of high-grade metamorphic rocks, including petrography, geochemistry, thermobarometry and phase equilibrium modelling, altogether with isotopic geochemistry, geochronology, fluid and trace elements studies.
ResearchGate | Lattes
Mahyra Tedeschi
I am a senior scientist specialising in metamorphic petrology at the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK). My research centres on geochronology and petrology, and their associated use in petrochronology. My work aims to reconstruct pressure-temperature-time paths in order to determine the timing and rates of geological processes, as well as to unravel the budget and transport of elements in the crust. These studies contribute to our understanding of the geodynamic evolution of orogens throughout geological time.
I obtained my MSc in Geochronology and Geochemistry Applied to Geodynamics at UFMG in 2013, and my PhD in Petrochronology and Geodynamic Evolution in 2018, also at UFMG. I undertook a one-year research internship at the University of Bern (UniBe), Switzerland, in 2016. Since 2020, I have been investigating nanogranitoids using Raman spectroscopy and experimental petrology, completing an internship at the University of Potsdam. From 2013 to 2018, I worked as a geoscience researcher at the Geological Survey of Brazil (SGB), investigating lithium pegmatites and mafic-ultramafic rocks. From 2018 to 2024, I was an Assistant Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), where I taught mineralogy and petrochronology and continue supervising postgraduation students.
ResearchGate | Lattes
Mariana Madeira
Mariana Madeira is currently a PhD candidate at Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). She is undergraduate in Geology Engineer and master’s degree in Geology at University Federal of Ouro Preto (UFOP). Her research interests lie in the field of Tectonics, Structural geology and Stratigraphy especially applied to investigating processes related to geodynamic and tectonic evolution of the ancient orogenic belts. Currently, she focuses on deformational evolution of orogenic belts investigating processes of shear zones development and escape tectonics in NE Brazil (Borborema Province).
Regiane Fumes
I am a geologist. I have obtained a PhD degree (2021) and a master’s degree (2017) in geosciences and environment at São Paulo State University. My work was focused on the characterization of the metamorphic P–T–t paths of high- pressure (HP) metamorphic rocks from Southern Brasília Orogen (Luminárias and Passos nappes) and their implication on the tectonic evolution of the orogen. My PhD supervisor was George Luvizotto. I have experience in metamorphic modeling using pseudosections, quantitative compositional mapping, trace element thermobarometers (Ti-in-quartz and Ti-in-rutile), U-Pb-ThT monazite dating (by EPMA).
Since 2017 I have been a substitute professor at São Paulo State University in the disciplines of structural geology, geotectonic, general geology and field practices.
ResearchGate | Lattes
Rosaline C.F. Silva
Rosaline C Figueiredo e Silva is a geologist who graduated from UFMG (2002), where she also obtained her master’s and doctorate, investigating the genesis of iron ore in Carajás (Brazil). She did a research internship at UWA (2006), in Australia, and was a visiting researcher until 2013 at the same institution. She is currently an Associate Professor at UFMG, in Belo Horizonte (Brazil) where she has been working and coordinating projects in the area of economic geology, especially gold and iron, since 2010. She was the coordinator of the postgraduate program in Geology at UFMG between 2018 and 2022. Mother of 9-year-old girl, Clara, she is one of the co-founders of ABMGeo, an ambassador for Parent in Science, and a member of Geomamas. She has a CNPq research productivity grant.
Members
Ananda Laet
I am a third-year geology undergraduate student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). My main interests lie in mineralogy, metamorphic petrology and structural geology, particularly in microtectonics. Within the Petrochronics research group, I focus on science communication through social media.
André Campos
André is a PhD student at Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ). He holds a master’s degree in geosciences and a bachelor’s degree in geology, both from UERJ. Has experience in the fields of metamorphic petrology, geochronology, and ornamental stones. During his master’s studies, conducted provenance studies of metasedimentary rocks from the Andrelândia Group in the Juiz de Fora region. Is now currently working with rocks from the Pitangui Greenstone Belt, aiming to constrain the age and metamorphic conditions of this deposit.
Arthur Deschamps
I am an undergraduate student in my fourth period of geology at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. I got into geology with no intention at all and I’m discovering myself here! Now I am part of a project focused on Romanian eclogites, in addition to participating in the dissemination of Petrochronics through social media. I expected to fall in love with geology through this project.
Brenda Rocha
Assistant professor in the Department of Mineralogy and Tectonics at the Institute of Geosciences, University of São Paulo (IGc-USP), since July 2020. My research is focused on the investigation of igneous and metamorphic processes related to the formation of orogenic belts, continental break-up and evolution of the continental crust, combining field observations with petrology, geochemistry and isotope geochronology and was responsible for pioneering petrochronology studies in Brazil using monazite, zircon and titanite. The PhD degree was obtained in 2016 at the University of São Paulo (IGc-USP), with a 1-year research internship at the University of Kansas (USA) applying in-situ dating techniques in high-grade metamorphic rocks in the southern Brasília orogen, using a petrochronology approach.
Additionally, I have conducted a post-doctoral research at the University of São Paulo (IGc-USP) on the environmental impact of the Paraná-Etendeka Large Igneous Province (LIP) magmatism and applied high-precision U-Pb age determinations using the techniques of chemical abrasion, isotope dilution, thermal ionization mass spectrometry when I was a visiting researcher at the University of Geneva (Switzerland), to investigate the temporal correlation between the Paraná-Etendeka LIP volcanism with a period of environmental disturbance in the Lower Cretaceous.
Catarina da Paz
I am a Master’s student in Mineralogy and Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. My research focuses on zircon petrochronology in para- and ortho-derived metatexites, aiming to reconstruct the P–T–t path of rocks from the Liberdade Nappe, associated with continental collisions in the Southern Brasília Orogen, West Gondwana. I have a strong interest in thermodynamic modeling, which I further developed during a four-month research internship at the University of Bern, Switzerland (2023). There, I deepened my knowledge of quantitative compositional mapping and iterative thermodynamic modeling. My main scientific motivation lies in applying mineral-scale geochemistry to unravel the geodynamic evolution of ancient orogenic systems over millions of years. For this reason, I am passionate about both laboratory and field work.
Emily Salvioni
Emily is currently pursuing a master’s degree in the Graduate Program in Geosciences and Environment at São Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” (UNESP), focusing on Crustal Evolution. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology from the same university, where she researched iterative thermodynamic modeling of the Santo Antônio Unit in the Campanha region, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Her current research project, titled “Petrochronology and Quantification of Melt in Granulite-Facies Rocks from the Anápolis-Itauçu Complex, Southern Brasília Belt,” is being developed under the supervision of PhD. Regiane Andrade Fumes. Her research interests include the petrochronology of high-grade metamorphic rocks, geotectonics, structural geology, and the geology of Brazil, particularly the crustal evolution of ancient orogenic belts.
Glorimar D.S. Araujo
Hello, I’m Glorimar D. S. Araujo, a Geology student at UFMG. I also hold a Bachelor’s degree in Law from UFMG, but I decided to retire in 2020. After all, I couldn’t stand the office anymore, right! And guess what, I couldn’t just sit still! 😄 I became a student again, and I’m excited to explore the wonders of mineralogy, geochemistry, and petrology with you all! After all, a passion for rocks is something that never retires.
Lucas Schiavetti
Geologist by the University of São Paulo (USP) with a Masters degree by the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) focused on high-grade metapelites from the hot Araçuaí Orogen (SE Brazil). Main interests include: Neoproterozoic orogenic belts, migmatites, high-grade metamorphism, thermodynamic modelling, multi-system geochronology and code/scripting. Soon-to-be phD student.
Marco Pinheiro
Geologist graduated from the Federal University of Ouro Preto (2005), with a Master’s and a phD from the same university (2008 and 2013). Post-Doctorate (2015/2016) from the Russian Academy of Sciences (SB-RAS), working with petrology of mafic and ultramafic rocks. Marco also worked with mineral prospecting (gems and gold) in private companies from 2005 to 2008; and then as a Professor of Mineral Research at CEFET-OP in the first half of 2009. In July 2009, he joined the Geological Survey of Brazil (CPRM/SUREG- BH) where he has been working as a full-time researcher. He was Secretary-Director of the Brazilian Society of Geology, in its nucleus of Minas Gerais (2015-2016 and 2017-2018), where he also held the position of President Director (2019-2020).
ResearchGate | Lattes | Google Scholar
Matheus Andrade
Currently a MSc. student in Crustal Evolution and Natural Resources Program at the Federal University of Ouro Preto (PPGECRN-UFOP), I am studying the metamorphic evolution of high-pressure granulites in Búzios Orogeny (RJ, Brazil) at the final stages of Gondwana Amalgamation during Cambrian and early Ordovician, aiming to unravel the secrets and implications of the P-T-t paths of these rocks on the current tectonic models proposed for the area. My research focus and interests are mostly metamorphic petrology, petrography, mineralogy and tectonics. I am also a Geology BSc. from Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), having worked previously with metamorphic modelling of the Búzios Succession. I consider non-research activities deeply important to myself, actively encouraging and trying to participate in activities towards non-academic audiences, minorities and underprivileged communities.
Lattes
Otavio Sant’ Anna G. Silva
Otavio Sant’ Anna G. Silva is a geologist with a master’s degree from the São Paulo State University (UNESP). Currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) conducting research in petrology and geochronology of eclogites and associated metamorphic rocks from the South Carpathians, in Romania. His main interest is to investigate the geodynamic processes that generate high-grade metamorphism (granulite and eclogite facies) during mountain building.
Lattes
Stéphanie Carvalho
I’m currently a PhD candidate in Geosciences at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). My research focuses on thermodynamic modeling, petrochronology, and structural geology of ortho- and paraderived basement rocks from the Dom Feliciano Belt (Southwestern Gondwana). My work aims to unravel the P–T–t evolution recorded in these basement inliers, in order to constrain the timing and processes involved in their geotectonic history. I spent eight months at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, gaining experience in thermodynamic modeling, sample preparation for geochronological analyses, and fieldwork. I obtained my Master’s degree in Geosciences (2018) from UFRGS, during which I studied orthometamorphic and igneous rocks of the Paleoproterozoic basement, using zircon geochronology along with detailed structural and microstructural analyses.
My main scientific interests include igneous and metamorphic petrology, structural geology, geochronology, thermodynamic modeling, and geochemistry, with a particular focus on the geotectonic evolution of ancient terranes. I also have research experience in geochemistry and mineral reactivity applied to studies on Carbon Capture and Storage. I’m genuinely motivated and enthusiastic about using integrated approaches to investigate and help explain the tectonic evolution of orogenic systems.
Lattes
Victor Baêta
Undergraduate student in geology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais. I have a deep interest in the areas of Geochemistry, Metamorphic Petrology and Economic Geology associated with the exploration of metallic materials from the rocks of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero. In the Petrochronics research group, I am focused on the study of ore minerals, mainly through the articulation between bibliographical research, microscopy analysis and knowledge dissemination on social media.
Our Collaborators
Bruno Ribeiro
Geologist and Master of Science graduated by the University of Sao Paulo and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) graduated by Monash University (Australia). Current Research Fellow at the Timescales of Mineral Systems Group from Curtin University (Australia) focusing on novel geochronological methods (in-situ Rb/Sr and Lu/Hf), multi-mineral U–Pb geochronology and metamorphic petrology to investigate the tectonic evolution of Precambrian terranes in Brazil, Australia and Greenland.
Kathryn Cutts
Kathryn Cutts is currently a post-doctoral researcher at UERJ working on the metamorphic and temporal evolution of the Ribeira fold belt and its connection to the Sao Francisco craton. She previously worked at UFOP as a postdoc studying the metamorphic evolution of rocks of the SFC and adjacent domains (see Cutts et al 2018 GR, 2019 GF, and 2020 PR); and as a postdoc at Stellenbosch University, South Africa where she investigated Archean metamorphism in the Barberton granite greenstone belt. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Adelaide in 2012.
Her main research interests involve utilizing a variety of techniques (including petrochronology!) to interrogate polymetamorphic and/or Archean terrains in order to understand the tectonic evolution and relationships between various terrains, and what metamorphism can tell us about the evolution of plate tectonics on Earth.
Silvia Volante
Silvia Volante completed her BSc and MSc studies at the University of Milan, in Italy. During her MSc she carried out a field-based thesis project on the tectono-metamorphic evolution of the Argentera–Mercantour Massif, one of the external massifs of the Western Alps, which encompasses relicts of a Variscan suture zone. In September 2016, she joined Prof. Zheng-Xiang Li’s Earth-Dynamics Research Group at Curtin University in Perth (Western Australia) to start a field-based PhD project that investigated the tectonic evolution of northern Queensland during the Palaeo–Mesoproterozoic in order to better understand the role of NE Australia during the evolution of the Precambrian supercontinent Nuna (Columbia). Silvia received her PhD in December 2020. Since May 2020, Silvia is a Junior researcher at the Ruhr- University Bochum in the Tectonic and Resources Research Group in Bochum (Germany). Silvia’s current research focuses on understanding Early Earth processes in Archean terranes by applying a multi-disciplinary approach which combines metamorphic and igneous petrology with geochemistry and geochronology.
Vitor Barrote
Vitor Barrote is a Posdoctoral researcher at the AG Geochemistry group at Freie Universität Berlin. His research interests lie in the field of isotopic geochemistry and geochronology, with a special interest in technical development and the use of multidisciplinary studies applied in unorthodox ways in order to solve unusual problems. He has been involved in Economic Geology for the good part of his academic journey, from his master degree at UFMG (Brazil) to his PhD at the John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, where he studied VHMS deposits from Western Australia. He believes that mineral deposits are rare records of amplified geological processes, and could hold fundamental keys to the understanding of major questions that every geoscientist asks themselves: the history of Earth’s evolution, the spark of life and what makes our planet so special.
UNESP Undergraduate Team
Giovanna Greenhalg
I am a second-year undergraduate geology student at São Paulo State University (UNESP). I have interest in studies of mineralogy, geotectonics, mining and metamorphic petrology. By this time, I’m studying granulites’ minerals of high temperatures on the South Brasília Orogen, at the city of Três Corações.
Guilherme Libardi Maestrelo
Second-year undergraduate student at Federal State University of São Paulo (UNESP). Main interests include: igneous petrology, low metamorphism and geophysics. Currently participating on PET and other extension programs.
Isabela Martins Luis
I’m a second-year geology undergraduate student at UNESP. Being a geologist has always been my dream. I’m interested in igneous and metamorphic petrology, geophysics and geotectonics. I am working in quality control at Lito Jr and am part of the Petrochronics team.
Rafael Boni
I am a geology undergraduate student at UNESP (São Paulo State University). I am part of the Petrochronics science communication team, contributing to content production and the creation of illustrative images that help explain geological topics. I am interested in geosciences and in making scientific knowledge clear and accessible.
Former Members
Cristina Araújo
Geology Ph.D. student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, Chemist, Geologist and Geology Master. Her research is focused on the geochronology and Hf isotopic signatures from igneous and metamorphic zircons in order to provide petrological information about the evolutionary history of the rocks. Her main interest is to understand the geodynamic evolution of the Southeastern Brazilian orogens combining petrography, geochemistry, isotopic geology, and regional geology.
Deniro Felipe
Final-year undergraduate student at Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Main interests include: ultra-high-temperature metamorphism, geochronology and geochemistry. Currently working on radiation damage in zircon and apatite fission track thermochronology.
Lattes
Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Dourado
I’m a second-year geology undergraduate student at UFMG mainly interested in geochemistry, petrology and high-grade metamorphism. I am studying nanogranitoid inclusions in accessory minerals, and also participating in the petrochronics’ science communication project through social media.
Hugo Oliveira
Undergraduate student in Geology at UFMG, Brazil, with interests in mineralogy, petrography, and isotopic geology. He was a scientific initiation researcher at the Petrochronics research group in an investigation that aimed to examine zircons from a granulite of the Brasília orogen with the help of tools such as Raman spectroscopy, cathodoluminescence, photomicrography images, and U-Pb geochronology. From these tools, we tried to correlate the zircons structures with their CL domains and their ages.
He is currently a Crew Petrochronics member, assisting the group in scientific dissemination.
Jorge Roncato
Geologist graduated from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (2006). Master’s degree in mapping and regional geology with an emphasis on the field and chemical-structural relationships of the S-type paragneisses and granites of Espírito Santo (2009). He has experience in Geosciences, with an emphasis on Geotectonics. He carried out research in geological-structural mapping, ruptile and ductile, in high-grade terrains (2005-2011), in the Colatina-ES Lineament Bundle. He holds a PhD in metallogeny with an emphasis on gold mineralization in deposits of Archean metasedimentary rocks. He has experience in mapping and geological and geotechnical studies. Her research aims to improve remote sensing techniques for identifying geological structures and risk areas. He has worked for private companies in the areas of geology, shallow geophysics, mine mapping and environmental management systems. He has worked as a consultant in the field of geophysical research, mainly in seismic, GPR and geoelectric methods. He is currently an adjunct professor in the Geology course at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), working mainly in the area of geological mapping and mine mapping.
Lucas Tesser
Lucas R. Tesser is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of São Paulo (IGc-USP) and he works in the metamorphic evolution of the South Borborema Orogeny, NE-Brazil. Previously in the MSc, he developed his research focused on the first described occurrence of ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) metamorphic rocks in the Borborema Province by applying metamorphic modelling and zircon petrochronology (see Tesser et al., 2021 JMG). In parallel, he collaborates with research in the Kaoko Belt (Namibia/Barrovian-type metamorphism), Togo-Mali ( Earth’s oldest UHP metamorphic rocks), and Rio Negro-Juruena province (southern Amazonian Craton).
ResearchGate | Lattes | Google Scholar
PETROCHRONICS 