Telephone 706 542-1395 . Fax 706 542-6106 . Email cais@uga.edu
 Click here for C.V. and extended profile. |
 Director
John Noakes, Ph.D., is a geochemist and chemical oceanographer with long-term interests in
geochronology, liquid scintillation counting, and the development of field deployable instruments for
conducting real-time surveys in aquatic and terrestrial environments...
He has been the Director of the CAIS since its inception in 1977, expanding the Center's role to become an internationally recognized research laboratory in the fields of radiocarbon dating, stable isotopic analysis, and more recently as a major facility in the emerging field of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). He has been a Graduate Faculty member at UGA since 1968.
|
 C.V. and contact. |
 Associate Director
Jeff Speakman is an archaeologist and geochemist with research interests in ceramic and obsidian
geochemistry and heavy metals in the environment.
Much of Jeff's current research centers on the development and application of portable analytical equipment (e.g., portable-XRF) to non-invasively study archaeological and geological materials, art, and other materials. Jeff has recently been appointed as Associate Director of the CAIS, coming from the Museum Conservation Institute of the Smithsonian Institution.
|
 |
 Administrative Associate Carolyn has been the administrative manager of the CAIS since its inception in 1977 and oversees all business affairs of the Center. Read more. |
 |
 Administrative Associate Paula is an administrative associate in charge of day-to-day office activities, coordinating sample login and overseeing invoicing of analytical services. Read more. |
 |
 Editor Dorothy O'Niell is an editor serving the scientific staff of the CAIS for the preparation of grant proposals, manuscripts for publication and professional presentations, and the administrative staff for a variety of needs related to Center operations. Read more. |
 |
 Research Professional Becky Auxier is an analytical chemist with expertise in inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, plasma emission spectroscopy, graphite furnace [something?], and atomic absorption spectroscopy. She has for many years managed the Chemical Analysis Laboratory on the UGA campus, and has been affiliated with the CAIS since 2006. Read more. back to top |
 C.V. and contact. |
 Associate Research Scientist Alex Cherkinsky, Ph.D., is a biogeochemist with research interests in the applications of AMS to archaeology, geology, hydrology, and the environmental sciences.
Alex has interests in the development of new techniques for AMS sample preparation, measurement, and data analysis and has developed novel approaches for radiocarbon dating of ultra-small samples. He has long-term interests in soil chemistry and soil carbon and his research on the radiocarbon dating of soil is internationally recognized.
|
 C.V. and contact |
 Associate Research Scientist
Randy Culp, Ph.D., is a marine scientist and organic geochemist with research interests that involve the use of combined analytical techniques of gas chromatography / isotope ratio mass spectrometry and accelerator mass spectrometry to determine the isotopic abundance of 14C, ?13C and ?D of individual compounds.
He is also involved in the development of authentication methods for natural products via their isotopic abundance 14C, ?13C and ?D to determine degree of naturalness, or more specifically a botanical or renewable carbon origin, versus fossil fuel derivation. Most recently, Randy has led a successful effort to gain ISO17025 accreditation for the labÕs expanding program for determining biobased content by ASTM method D6866-11 in manufactured products and biofuels.
|
 More information |
 Assistant Research Scientist Doug Dvoracek, Ph.D., is a geochemist with research interests focused on the application of accelerator mass spectrometric techniques in radiocarbon dating, including development of specialized sample preparation techniques for very small size samples...
...application of radiocarbon methods to resolve landscape development in the Southeastern U.S. and in tracking Caribbean Island settlement and canine domestication; geochemical discrimination of archaeological artifacts by X-ray fluorescence and isotopic techniques; geochemical characteristics of tectonic provinces and processes active during the Paleozoic assembly of the Appalachian mountain belt.
|
 C.V. and contact |
 Assistant Research Scientist Scott Noakes, Ph.D. is a marine scientist and geochemist with research interests primarily focused on the development of sensors for real-time in situ measurements of the marine environment.
His work with sensors has extended into methane gas hydrate detection and carbon dioxide monitoring in the ocean, and he has worked to develop a system that can be used to map hydrate deposits in the deep water of the Gulf of Mexico. Scott also has led a marine paleontological research project producing evidence of two extinct Atlantic gray whales of Pleistocene age in coastal Georgia waters. He presently serves as Director of the Scientific Diving Program for the University System of Georgia.
|
 C.V. and contact |
 Associate Research Scientist Ravi Prasad, Ph.D., is a nuclear physicist with research interests in high performance computing and simulations in physics. His areas of expertise include nuclear particle accelerators, radiation detectors, vacuum systems and nuclear electronics.
Ravi presently oversees the CAIS Accelerator Mass Spectrometry program, and is charge of operations and maintenance for the two carbon-isotope AMS instruments that serve the research programs of the CAIS.
|
 |
 Research Technician Larry Greenway is a research technician with more than 20 years of experience at CAIS in the preparation of samples for liquid scintillation counting and stable isotope analysis. Read more. |
 |
 Research Technician Marianne Happek is a research technician with the CAIS since 2009, working primarily on the pretreatment of samples for radiocarbon dating. Read more. |
 |
 Research Technician Brian Markowicz is a research technician and glass blower with UGA since 2003 and with the CAIS since 2009. His duties are focused on preparation of samples for stable isotope and AMS analysis. Read more. |
 |
 Research Technician David Smith is a research technician with the CAIS since 1998. David oversees many of the functions in the stable isotope laboratory with duties are focused on preparation of samples for stable isotope, liquid scintillation counting and AMS analysis. Read more. |
 |
 Research Technician Liza Smith is a research technician and has been with CAIS since 2006. Her duties are focused on preparation of samples for stable isotope and AMS analysis. Read more. |
| Center for Applied Isotope Studies
. University of Georgia . 120 Riverbend Road Athens GA 30602-4702 |
Telephone 706 542-1395 . Fax 706 542-6106 . Email cais@uga.edu | |