Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
BSc (Hons), St Andrews, Scotland
PhD, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Professor Emeritus Simon George is the leader of the organic geochemistry group, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He was the Interim Head of Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Oct2020–Dec2021, Acting Head of the EPS Department from Jan 2014 until 1st February 2015, and was Deputy Head of the EPS Department, 2018-2019. He also was the Director of the Macquarie University Marine Research Centre, 2015–2019. He was the Director of the Bachelor of Marine Science, 2020-2021.
Simon George has more than 35 years experience in organic geochemistry, including 15 years specialising in petroleum geochemistry at CSIRO. Organic geochemistry involves the study of the chemical and isotopic signatures in rocks and sediments, which tell us information about the past. We can reconstruct the nature and timing of important events in the evolution of life. Biomarkers are hydrocarbons that retain the structural information from the original lipids from which they were derived. Biomarkers and other hydrocarbons in oils, rocks and sediments provide us the ability to understand source inputs, subsequent burial and heating history (thermal maturity) and alteration events (such as oil biodegradation). The chemistry of insoluble fractions of organic matter, such as kerogen and asphaltenes, provides further useful information.
Contacts:
Phone: +61 2 9850 4424
Mobile: +61 4 1842 8217
Email: [email protected]
Research interests
Further details about my organic geochemistry research:
Biography
Teaching responsibilities
Main Undergraduate teaching
GEOS1110: The Habitable Planet (GEOS112: The Planet Earth). I teach the Biosphere (Module 4). 2007-2020. Convened 2010-2012.
GEOS2042: Life, the Universe and Everything (GEOS204). Most lectures and many practicals. 2008 (ELS204)-2020. Convened 2008-2013; 2016-2020.
GEOS2130: Marine Sediments: Records of Past Earth (GEOS206: Marine Depositional Environments). Lectures, practicals, and teach on the South Coast of NSW fieldtrip to Kioloa in April. 2008-2021.
ENVS2115: Climate Change, Energy and our Future (GEOS251: Geopolitics- The Science of Climate, Energy and our Future; Minerals, Energy and Environment). One module of lectures and tutorials, 2012-2021.
GEOS3130: Earth System History (GEOS309: Marine Sediments and Energy Security). Most lectures and practicals. Convened 2011, 2013, 2015-2021.
Other Undergraduate teaching
GEOS1120: Dynamic Earth (GEOS125: Earth Dynamics). One workshop, sometimes fieldwork (Hartley). 2008-2020.
GEOS1130: Blue Planet: Oceans, Climate and Life (GEOS126: Marine Geoscience). Some lectures, sometimes fieldwork (Port Hacking boat trip). 2007-2021.
GEOS211: Field Geology: Mapping and Palaeoenvironments (GEOS226: Introduction to Field Geology) (Keepit fieldtrip). 2008; 2009-2013. Convened 2012-2013.
MAR201: Introduction to Marine Science. 1-2 lectures, 2009-2012.
GEOS397/GEOS394/BIOL382: Applied Palaeontology and Biogenic Sediments, lecture and practical, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012.
Postgraduate teaching
GEOS7710: Palaeoenvironments and Biogeochemistry (GEOS710: Records of palaeoenvironments: life and geochemistry). Convenor and lectures on organic geochemistry for Master Research students, 2016-2020.
GEOS8810: Palaeoenvironments and Biogeochemistry (GEOS920: Palaeoenvironments and biogeochemistry). Convenor and lectures on organic geochemistry for master coursework students (Master Geoscience; Master of Science and Innovation). 2016-2020.
GEOS7711: Research Topics in Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEOS791: Research Topic in Earth and Planetary Sciences). Research Experience (in organic geochemistry lab), 2016-2020
GEOS710: The Organic Geochemistry of Sedimentary Rocks, Oils and Gases. Lecture and practical organic geochemistry in the research lab for Master Research students. Convenor, 2013-2015.
GEOS920: Petroleum Geochemistry. Lecture and practical organic geochemistry in the research lab for master coursework students (Master Geoscience). Convenor, 2013-2015.
GEOS811: Advanced Field Techniques in Geoscience. Keepit fieldtrip for master coursework students (Master Geoscience). 2008; 2009-2013. Convened 2012-2013.
Genes to Geoscience, Postgraduate modules: Where biology, geology and chemistry meet: Frontiers in Biogeochemistry; What's In Stuff? (with Damian Gore); Geosphere-Biosphere Interactions (With Matthew Kosnik and Craig O’Neill). 2008-2015.
Conferences that I chaired
Australian Organic Geochemistry Conference: Macquarie University, 2-5th December 2012.
Chairman and co-convener of the joint Australian Organic Geochemistry Conference (AOGC) and International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) Meeting, Leura, NSW, February 2004.
Chairman of the Australian Organic Geochemistry Conference (AOGC), December 2012, at Macquarie University.
Deputy Chairman of the Australian Organic Geochemistry Conference (AOGC), Lindfield, NSW, December 2022.
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- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Organic geochemistry parameters for understanding the Messinian salinity crisis
15/04/24 → 31/05/26
Project: Research
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Palaeoenvironments and thermal maturity of the Permian southern Sydney Basin, from drillcore DM Callala DDH1
George, S. & Campbell, B.
1/08/17 → …
Project: Research
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Stromatolite Construction, Biofacies and Biomarkers in Lower Cambrian Carbonates of the Hawker Group, Arrowie Basin, South Australia
George, S. & Teece, B.
1/05/17 → …
Project: Research
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Pyrolysis equipment for chemical analysis of large organic molecules
George, S., Loehr, S., Jacob, D., Brock, G., Armand, L., Strezov, V., Handley, H. & Abbott, A.
1/01/17 → …
Project: Research
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Using ancient phytoplankton communities and genes to illuminate future ocean responses
George, S., Ostrowski, M., Armand, L. & Armbrecht, L.
1/10/16 → …
Project: Research
Research Outputs
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The transformation of sediment into rock: insights from IODP site U1352, Canterbury Basin, New Zealand
Marsaglia, K. M., Browne, G. H., George, S. C., Kemp, D. B., Jaeger, J. M., Carson, D., Richaud, M. & IODP Expedition 317 Scientific Party, 2017, In: Journal of Sedimentary Research. 87, 3, p. 272-287 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
14 Citations (Scopus) -
Reappraisal of hydrocarbon biomarkers in Archean rocks
French, K. L., Hallmann, C., Hope, J. M., Schoon, P. L., Zumberge, J. A., Hoshino, Y., Peters, C. A., George, S. C., Love, G. D., Brocks, J. J., Buick, R. & Summons, R. E., 12 May 2015, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 112, 19, p. 5915-5920 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
228 Citations (Scopus) -
Organic geochemical characteristics of highly mature Late Neoproterozoic black shales from South China: reappraisal of syngeneity and indigeneity of hydrocarbon biomarkers
Ai, J. Y., George, S. C. & Zhong, N. N., Jan 2020, In: Precambrian Research. 336, p. 1-15 15 p., 105508.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
19 Citations (Scopus) -
Biomarker signatures of Upper Cretaceous Latrobe Group petroleum source rocks, Gippsland Basin, Australia: distribution and geological significance of aromatic hydrocarbons
Jiang, L. & George, S. C., Dec 2019, In: Organic Geochemistry. 138, p. 1-20 20 p., 103905.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
44 Citations (Scopus) -
Fluid inclusion and stable isotopic studies of thermochemical sulfate reduction: Upper permian and lower triassic gasfields, northeast Sichuan Basin, China
Li, K., George, S. C., Cai, C., Gong, S., Sestak, S., Armand, S. & Zhang, X., 1 Feb 2019, In: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 246, p. 86-108 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
44 Citations (Scopus)
Activities
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Australian National University
Simon George (Visiting researcher)
14 Oct 2018 → 14 Dec 2018Activity: Visiting an external institution › Visiting an external academic institution
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Reviewer of grant submitted to Petroleum Research Fund
Simon George (Participant)
Mar 2018Activity: Other
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Jilin University
Simon George (Visiting researcher)
Nov 2017Activity: Visiting an external institution › Visiting an external academic institution
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China University of Petroleum - Beijing
Simon George (Visiting researcher)
Nov 2017Activity: Visiting an external institution › Visiting an external academic institution