ProfessorMarkSephton

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Earth Science & Engineering

Professor of Organic Geochemistry

Contact

Location

2.34Royal School of MinesSouth Kensington Campus

Summary

Organic Geochemistry involves the recognition and interpretation of organic records in planetary settings. Organic structures and their stable isotopic compositions can record chemical evolution in the solar system, the origin of life, habitation of environments and biological evolution over time. Organic compounds are also very sensitive to alteration and post formation changes can be related to thermal, aqueous, radiative and oxidative processing. From prebiotic chemistry in meteorites, through the many reservoirs of organic molecular fossils on Earth, to the search for evidence of past or present life on Mars, information-rich organic chronicles can be read using modern analytical methods.

Biography

Professor, Imperial College London 2007 – present
Head of Department, Earth Science & Engineering 2016 – 2021
Reader, Imperial College London 2005 – 2007
Lecturer, Open University 2000 – 2005
Post Doc, Open University 1998 – 2000
Post Doc, Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and University of Utrecht 1996 – 1998
PhD, Open University 1993 – 1996
MSc, University of Newcastle 1991– 1992
BSc, University of Durham 1988 – 1991

Research Interests

Missions to Mars
Mars Analogue Studies
Astrobiology of Icy Moons
Planetary Protection
Meteorites and their Organic Matter
Space Spin-Offs
Causes and Consequences of Mass Extinctions
Organic Proxies of Environmental Change
Organic Molecules in Forensic Science and Biochemistry

Notable Outreach Activities

2022 - Planetary Radio Live in London: The Moons Symphony
2021 - Trustee of Education Charity Space Science Engineering Foundation
2021 - ESA Coverage for Landing of Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover
2021 - UKSA and NASA Perseverance - Discover the Mission and Space Careers
2021 - UKSA UK scientists play key part in NASA mission to Mars
2020 - ITV report for Launch of Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover
2018 - Voice of America report for Lipid Biosignatures in a Mars Analogue
2016 - Sky at Night Life on Mars Interview
2013 - How to Put a Human on Mars (ICL-BBC collaboration; Winner of European and World Digital Awards)

Notable Community Activities

2022 - Co-Chair Mars Sample Return Temperature and Time Tiger Team
2021 - Speciality Chief Editor for Space Exploration | Frontiers in Space Technologies
2020 - Selected as Returned Sample Science Participating Scientist NASA Mars 2020
2019 - Member of COSPAR Sample Safety Assessment Protocol Working Group
2016 - Team Coordinator for Planetary Protection of Outer Solar System
2015 - Member NASA Mars 2020 Returned Sample Science Board
2014 - Winner of Student Academic Choice Award for Best Supervision
2014 - Member of ESA Planetary Protection Working Group
2013 - Chair of UK Space Agency Space Exploration Advisory Committee
2013 - Member of NASA Science Definition Team for the 2020 Mars Rover
2011 - Member of STFC Astronomy Grants Panel
2010 - Co-Chair of NASA/ESA Mars Sample Return End 2 End International Science Analysis Group

Management and Administration

2021 - Present Chair of Targeted Scholarships Sub-Group, Imperial College
2021 - Present Societal Engagement Champion, Earth Science & Engineering
2016 - 2021 Head of Department, Earth Science & Engineering
2015 - 2016 Director of Imperial Space Lab, Imperial College
2011 - 2016 Chair of the Department Promotions Panel, Earth Science & Engineering
2010 - 2015 Head of Section, Earth & Planets, Earth Science & Engineering
2005 - 2010 Director of Postgraduate Studies, Earth Science & Engineering
2009 - 2021 Chair of the Department Safety Committee, Earth Science & Engineering
2009 - Present Department Safety Officer, Earth Science & Engineering
2005 - Present Group Leader, Imperial College Organic Geochemistry group

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

Tan J, Sephton M, 2020, Organic records of early life on Mars: the role of iron, burial and kinetics on preservation, Astrobiology, Vol:20, ISSN:1531-1074, Pages:53-72

Royle SH, Tan J, Kounaves SP, et al.Royle SH, Tan J, Kounaves SP, Sephton M close, 2018, Survivability of 1-chloronapthalene during simulated early diagenesis – Implications for chlorinated hydrocarbon detection on Mars, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, Vol:123, ISSN:2169-9097, Pages:2790-2802

Sephton MA, Waite JH, Brockwell TG, 2018, How to Detect Life on Icy Moons, Astrobiology, Vol:18, ISSN:1531-1074, Pages:843-855

Tan J, Lewis JMT, Sephton MA, 2018, The fate of lipid biosignatures in a Mars-analogue sulfur stream., Scientific Reports, Vol:8, ISSN:2045-2322, Pages:7586-7586

Lewis JMT, Najorka J, Watson JS, et al.Lewis JMT, Najorka J, Watson JS, Sephton MA close, 2018, The search for Hesperian organic matter on Mars: Pyrolysis studies of sediments rich in sulfur and iron, Astrobiology, Vol:18, ISSN:1531-1074, Pages:454-464

Schulze-Makuch D, Wagner D, Kounaves SP, et al.Schulze-Makuch D, Wagner D, Kounaves SP, Mangelsdorf K, Devine KG, de Vera J-P, Schmitt-Kopplin P, Grossart H-P, Parro V, Kaupenjohann M, Galy A, Schneider B, Airo A, Froesler J, Davila AF, Arens FL, Caceres L, Cornejo FS, Carrizo D, Dartnell L, DiRuggiero J, Flury M, Ganzert L, Gessner MO, Grathwohl P, Guan L, Heinz J, Hess M, Keppler F, Maus D, McKay CP, Meckenstock RU, Montgomery W, Oberlin EA, Probst AJ, Saenz JS, Sattler T, Schirmack J, Sephton MA, Schloter M, Uhl J, Valenzuela B, Vestergaard G, Woermer L, Zamorano P close, 2018, Transitory microbial habitat in the hyperarid Atacama Desert, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol:115, ISSN:0027-8424, Pages:2670-2675

Montgomery W, Sephton MA, Watson JS, et al.Montgomery W, Sephton MA, Watson JS, Zeng H, Rees AC close, 2015, Minimising hydrogen sulphide generation during steam assisted production of heavy oil, Scientific Reports, Vol:5, ISSN:2045-2322

Sephton MA, Jiao D, Engel MH, et al.Sephton MA, Jiao D, Engel MH, Looy CV, Visscher H close, 2015, Terrestrial acidification during the end-Permian biosphere crisis?, Geology, Vol:43, ISSN:1943-2682, Pages:159-162

Lewis JMT, Watson JS, Najorka J, et al.Lewis JMT, Watson JS, Najorka J, Luong D, Sephton MA close, 2015, Sulfate Minerals: A Problem for the Detection of Organic Compounds on Mars?, Astrobiology, Vol:15, ISSN:1557-8070

Sephton MA, Lewis JMT, Watson JS, et al.Sephton MA, Lewis JMT, Watson JS, Montgomery W, Garnier C close, 2014, Perchlorate-induced combustion of organic matter with variable molecular weights: Implications for Mars missions, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol:41, ISSN:0094-8276, Pages:7453-7460

Sephton MA, Carter JN, 2014, Statistics Provide Guidance for Indigenous Organic Carbon Detection on Mars Missions, Astrobiology, Vol:14, ISSN:1531-1074, Pages:706-713

Montgomery W, Watson JS, Sephton MA, 2014, An organic cosmo-barometer: Distinct pressure and temperature effects for methyl substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Astrophysical Journal, Vol:784, ISSN:0004-637X

Carter JN, Sephton MA, 2013, A Bayesian statistical assessment of representative samples for asteroidal or meteoritical material, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Vol:48, ISSN:1086-9379, Pages:976-996

Sephton MA, 2013, Aromatic units from the macromolecular material in meteorites: Molecular probes of cosmic environments, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Vol:107, ISSN:0016-7037, Pages:231-241

Sephton MA, Hazen RM, 2013, On the origins of deep hydrocarbons, Reviews in Mineralogy & Geochemistry, Vol:75, ISSN:1529-6466, Pages:449-465

Chapters

Sephton MA, 2014, Organic Geochemistry of Meteorites, Treatise on Geochemistry, Editor(s): Turekian, Elsevier Science, Pages:1-31

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