Dr. James Hooper specialises in quantifying the impact of anthropogenic activities on dust and particulate matter emissions using a broad range of analytical tools.

James’ research expertise is centred around investigating geochemical and biological changes in sedimentary archives in order to create detailed geo-chronologies of environmental and climatic changes. In particular, he is interested in the use of aeolian (dust) flux as a regional scale proxy for these changes, and the impact that human activity has had in affecting dust emissions. In addition, James has focussed on the role of dust flux in the climate system and the effect that dust deposition has on recipient environments and ecosystems (for example via enhancing primary productivity in Fe-limited Ocean regions), a complex research field in which he has begun to develop new methodological approaches. James has won competitive grants in excess of $50,000 to undertake this research from funding bodies such as the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) and others.

James’ has been able to draw on his expedition experience in remote and extreme environments to conduct fieldwork expeditions to retrieve the peat and ice cores which are central to his research from the Andes, Patagonia, Hokkaido and the sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia.