Research Interests My goal is to use my understanding of the reactions that take place in soils to provide benefits that help sustain human populations. The work focuses (a) on carbon capture - through the artificially-influenced precipitation of carbonate minerals and through use of poorly-reactive carbons such as biochar, and (b) on novel methods to build soil fertility - exploiting the weathering of minerals. To this end, I focus on mineral-water reactions in biologically-active systems including soils, sediments, aquifers, petroleum reservoirs and landfill sites. Extending to greater depths, I use my long-standing interests in water-rock reaction in granitic and petroleum systems to develop novel geothermal opportunities. Most recently these include a 1000 m deep hole in Weardale, drilled in 2004, with a second 420 m hole nearby for injection, drilled in 2010, and the 1820 m deep hole at Newcastle Science Central.