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Ludmila Fonseca Teixeira

Magmatic petrologist; PostDoc fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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About me

and all the many places I have been to :)

Science has been intriguing me since I can remember - my passion started with (heavily) outdated Science books as I was growing up in the (very) countryside of Brazil. Since then, I got a BSc in Geology at the University of São Paulo, with an year abroad at Durham University (UK), a MSc in Geology at LMU Munich (Germany), a PhD in Geochemistry at ETH Zürich (Switzerland) with a 6-month research stay at RWTH Aachen University (Germany). I am currently a PostDoc fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (USA).

When I am not hiding in the office or the lab, I am a huge outdoors enthusiast and I am little too obsessed with hiking, running, biking, swimming, and snowboarding :)

I am also very passionate about Diversity and Inclusion, and I have been advocating for students and minorities rights since my undergrad years. My life goal is always to make sure the next generation will find a path easier than the one I had, and I am constantly working to find ways to promote change and support people in need.

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Education

02-2024

PhD in Geochemistry

ETH Zürich, Switzerland

Geochemical and petrological investigations of selected magmatic systems: insights into the evolution of volcanic, plutonic, and pegmatitic environments

PhD Supervisor: Olivier Bachmann

07-2019

MSc Geology
LMU Munich

Experimental generation of fulgurites

MSc Supervisor: Corrado Cimarelli

12-2016

BSc Geology
University of São Paulo

Cathodoluminescence analysis on alkali feldspars of the lujavrites and khibinites of the Pocos de Caldas

BSc Supervisor: Silvio Vlach

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Research experience

PostDoctoral fellow

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Investigating the role of the magmatic-hydrothermal transition in the generation of different mineralisations; modelling of zircon crystallisation in high-SiO2 systems

Since 06/24
Research Assistant

ETH Zurich

Lab assistant SEM and microthermometry; group meeting organisation

2019-2024
Research Assistant

LMU Munich

Tracking particle velocity with ImageJ; general help with MATLAB

2018
Intern

Institute of Technological Research of São Paulo  (IPT)

Sample description for mineral exploration and for the restoration of Paulista Museum

2015
Research Assistant

University of São Paulo

Chemical characterisation of the A-type tourmaline-bearing Peru Granites; trace elements analyses of pyroxenes in the plutonic alkaline rocks from Poços de Caldas

2012-2016

About my research

From hot lavas to cold pegmatites

My current and past research has focused on the following topics:

  • ​The volcanic-plutonic connection in silicic systems

  • The role of the magmatic-hydrothermal transition in the generation of ore deposits

  • The different processes at play in the petrogenesis of A, I, and S-type plutons and pegmatites

  • The use (and limitations) of Ti-thermometry in magmatic-systems

  • Modelling of zircon crystallisation

  • Experimental fulgurites (MSc thesis)

  • Petrogenesis of agpaitic rocks

Methods

I work with a variety of methods, including

  • Insitu geochemical analysis via LA-ICP-MS, FTIR, EPMA, SEM, Raman

  • Fluid inclusions microthermometry

  • ID-TIMS

  • Numerical modelling

Peer-reviewed
publications

Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Laurent, O., Troch, J., Siddoway, C. S., Tavazzani, L., Deering, C., Bachmann, O. (2024). Tracking quartz and zircon provenance in sedimentary rocks using Ti distributions: unlocking the volcanic-plutonic connection in old igneous systems. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2024.118906

Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Troch, J., Bachmann, O. (2023). The dynamic nature of aTiO2: implications for Ti-based thermometers in magmatic systems. Geology. https://doi.org/10.1130/G51587.1

Fonseca Teixeira, L. M. Troch, J. Allaz, J., Bachmann, O. (2022). Magmatic to hydrothermal conditions in the transition from the A-type Pikes Peak granite to its related pegmatite. Frontiers in Earth Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.976588

Conferences contributions

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Troch, J., and Bachmann, O. (2024). “The aTiO2 problem: current limitations to Ti-based thermometers in magmatic systems”. In: GSA Connects. Anaheim, CA, USA.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Ackerson, M., and Bachmann, O. (2024). “The curious case of the Bergell intrusion (Switzerland): insights into the magmatic-hydrothermal transition in I-type plutons”. In: GSA Connects. Anaheim, CA, USA.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Laurent, O., Troch, J., Siddoway, C. S., Tavazzani, L., and Bachmann, O. (2023). “Investigating the volcanic-plutonic connection: insights from sedimentary layers”. In: Hutton symposium. Abstract. Baveno, Italy.

  • Troch, J., Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Bachmann, O., Huber, C., Laurent, O., Ackerson, M. R., and Allaz, J. (2023). “Pegmatites as recorders of the magmatic-hydrothermal transition in silicic magma reservoirs”. In: Hutton symposium. Baveno, Italy.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Laurent, O., Troch, J., Siddoway, C. S., and Bachmann, O. (2023). “Tracking volcanic, plutonic, and pegmatitic sources in sediments: implications for the Early Earth history”. In: EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. Vienna, Austria.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Laurent, O., Troch, J., Siddoway, C. S., and Bachmann, O. (2022). “Tracking volcanic, plutonic, and pegmatitic environments in sediments: A case study from the Pikes Peak batholith, Colorado”. In: Swiss Geoscience Meeting. Lausanne, Switzerland.

  • Troch, J., Huber, C., Kueter, N., Bachmann, O., Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., and Ackerson, M. R. (2022). “From Niggli’s gas mineralisators to extraction from crystal mushes: Linking pegmatites with their host granites”. In: Swiss Geoscience Meeting. Lausanne, Switzerland.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Laurent, O., Troch, J., Siddoway, C. S., and Bachmann, O.  (2022). “Linking CL screening and Ti-in-quartz temperatures: A new tool for tracking volcanic, plutonic, and pegmatitic sources in sediments”. In: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Denver, CO, USA: Geological Society of America. doi: 10.1130/abs/2022am-381533.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Troch, J., Allaz, J., and Bachmann, O. (2022). “Subsolidus crystallisation in the A-type Pikes Peak batholith”. In: Magma and Fluids workshop. Magma and Fluids workshop. Orleans, France.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Troch, J., Allaz, J., and Bachmann, O. (2022). “Subsolidus crystallisation in the A-type Pikes Peak batholith”. In: EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. Vienna, Austria.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Bachmann, O., and Allaz, J. (2021). “Magmatic to hydrothermal conditions in the transition from an A-type granite to a pegmatite in the Pikes Peak Batholith”. In: AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts. Vol. 2021. Online.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Bachmann, O., and Allaz, J. (2021). “Magmatic to hydrothermal conditions in the transition from an A-type granite to a pegmatite in the Pikes Peak Batholith”. In: Swiss Geoscience Meeting. Online.

  • Simian, L., Allaz, J., Fonseca Teixeira, L. M.,  Bachmann, O., and Chelle- Michou, C. (2021). “Petrology, mineralogy, and dating of granites in Northern Pikes Peak batholith, Colorado (USA)”. In: Swiss Geoscience Meeting. Online.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M., Allaz, J., and Bachmann, O. (2021). “Evolution of the crystallisation conditions in the Wellington Lake Pegmatite in the Pikes Peak Granite, Colorado (USA)”. In: EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. Online.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M. and Cimarelli, C. (2019). “Experimental production of fulgurites”. In: Physics of Volcanoes. Abstract. Mendig, Germany.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M. and Vlach, S. R. F. (2016). “Analise textural e microestrutural de lujauritos e chibinitos do corpo lujauraritico-chibinitico do anel norte do maci¸co alcalino Po¸cos de Caldas”. In: Congresso Brasileiro de Geologia. Porto Alegre, Brazil.

  • Fonseca Teixeira, L. M. and Ulbrich, H (2013). “Litogeoquımica e quımica mineral em granit´oides contrastados do estado de Sao Paulo: exemplo dos turmalina granitos de Perus e do maci¸co Atibaia”. In: Simposio Internacional de Iniciacao Cientifica. Sao Carlos, Brazil.

Awards, grants, fellowships, and scholarships

Peter Buck Postdoctoral fellowship

$142,500

Fellowship awarded by the Smithsonian Institution for a 2-year project at the National Museum of Natural History

EGU OSPP 2022

EGU award
Outstanding Student and Phd Presentation - EGU 2022 - GMPV division

Fix the Leaky Pipeline - ETH grant

$2,000

Grant awarded to groups of young female scientists to foster career development

DAAD Completion Scholarship

$2,500

Scholarship awarded to outstanding international students in the final months of their master thesis

Bayern Stipendium

$7,000

Scholarship awarded to outstanding international students during their master studies

LMU Studiforscht

$1,000

Scholarship for small MSc research projects (not related to the thesis)

FAPESP - Scientific initiation

$2,000

Scholarship awarded to outstanding BSc students to support their own initial research

Science without borders

$40,000

Full ride scholarship (including tuition, accommodation, and subsistence) for year abroad at Durham University (UK)

Santander Scholarship - Scientific initiation

$1,000

Scholarship awarded to outstanding BSc students to support their own initial research

Address

1000 Constitution Ave

20560 Washington DC

USA

Email

Fonseca-TeixeiraL@si.edu

Twitter

@Lud_Fonseca_

BlueSky

@luud.bsky.social

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