Simon George

BSc (Hons), St Andrews, Scotland
PhD, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Professor Simon George is the leader of the organic geochemistry group at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He is also the Director of the Macquarie University Marine Research Centre. He was the Acting Head of Department from Jan 2014 until 1st February 2015 and is Deputy Head of Department, 2018-current.

I have more than 30 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.

Further details about my organic geochemistry research:

• The organic geochemistry group at Macquarie University

• My research projects and ideas

• Information about the organic geochemical laboratory at Macquarie University

• Information about my students.

• Information for those interested in coming to Macquarie University to carry out research with Simon George

• Publications by Simon George

Teaching responsibilities

Main Undergraduate teaching

GEOS112: The Planet Earth. I teach about the biosphere (Module 4)

GEOS126: Marine Geoscience. Fieldwork to Port Hacking.

GEOS125: Earth Dynamics. Workshop on fossil fuels.

GEOS204: Life, the Universe and Everything. Convenor, many lectures and some practicals.

GEOS206: Marine Depositional Environments. I teach on the South Coast of NSW fieldtrip to Kioloa in April.

GEOS251: Geopolitics- the science of climate, energy, and our future. Module on Fossil Fuels and CO₂ sequestration.

GEOS309: Earth System History. Some lectures and practicals.

Other Undergraduate teaching

GEOS226: Introduction to Field Geology. Sometimes teach on the Keepit fieldtrip.

Postgraduate teaching

GEOS710: Records of Palaeoenvironments: Life and Geochemistry Convenor, 4 weeks teaching for Master Research students.

GEOS920: Palaeoenvironments and Biogeochemistry. Convenor, 4 weeks teaching, for master coursework students (Master of Science).

GEOS791/807: Research Topic in Earth and Planetary Sciences for MRes and MGeoscience cohort: teach organic geochemistry laboratory research experience.

Research Enrichment Programme (REP) Postgraduate modules: Where biology, geology and chemistry meet: Frontiers in Biogeochemistry; What's In Stuff? (with Damian Gore); Geosphere-Biosphere Interactions (With Matthew Kosnick and Craig O’Neill).

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