Hello, I'm Gabriel ...
... a PhD qualified geo-environmental engineer with advanced expertise in physical and chemical hydrogeoscience. I love to get my hands dirty in the lab and field in order to make real-world measurements and observations. My passion lies in designing specialist field and laboratory experiments, acquiring, compiling and interpreting geoscience information using advanced data science tools provided through the Python programming language. My work aims to improve fundamental process understanding and to develop methods for the quantification of subsurface processes and properties. This includes water flows across the surface/subsoil boundary and the impact of underground resource extraction. Understanding and quantifying such processes must underpin sustainable management of Earth's resources. I believe in the power of collaboration and lead projects across countries and disciplines.
Currently, I am appointed as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Applied Geosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. I am also affiliated as a Visiting Fellow at UNSW's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Connected Waters Initiative, UNSW's multi-disciplinary and cross-faculty groundwater research centre, as well as Australia’s National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training.
Profiles







Experience
- May 2019 - present: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow
- Department of Engineering Geology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Funded by the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program - May 2018 - present: Visiting Research Fellow
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Australia
In recognition of my UNSW track record - July 2018 - present: Assistant Professor
- Department of Engineering Geology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Faculty position - Dec 2016 - April 2018: Lecturer
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Australia
Faculty position - Dec 2014 - Nov 2016: Associate Lecturer
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Australia
Faculty position - Dec 2011 - Nov 2014: Postdoctoral Research Associate
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Australia
Funded by the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, Australia - Dec 2008 - Nov 2011: Research Associate
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Australia
Funded by the Australian Government's National Water Commission and the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation
Awards
- 2019: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship
- European Commission
- 2013: Finalist, Malcolm Chaikin Prize for Research Excellence
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney
- 2012: Outstanding Student Paper Award
- American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011
- 2011: Team finalist, National Water Commission Professor Peter Cullen Eureka Prize for Water Research and Innovation
- Team: Prof. I. Acworth, A/Prof. B Kelly, Dr. M Andersen, A McCallum, A Greve and G C Rau
- 2009: Student Conference Sponsorship Award
- International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), NSW Chapter, Australia
Certificates
- Oct 2019: Leadership Excellence Foundations
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany Three-day seminar about leadership models, effective coaching and conflict resolution
- Sept 2019: The Art of Natural Presentation
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany Three-day practical workshop aiming to improve communication skills by using natural body language
- Nov 2016: Higher Degree Research Supervision Essentials
- Faculty of Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Australia Taining required for the supervision of PhD/MPhil research candidates at UNSW
- Oct 2016: Foundations of University Learning and Teaching
- Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Education, UNSW Sydney, Australia Teaching practice development by exploring a range of perspectives, ideas, theories, and practical approaches to learning and teaching in the higher education context
- Nov 2013: Solute and Reactive Transport Modelling
- National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, Australia
Education
- 2009 - 2012: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Australia
Thesis: Experimental Analysis of Heat as a Tracer for the Quantfication of Thermal Dispersion and Water Flow in Sand - 2002 - 2008: Diplom-Ingenieur (Dipl.-Ing.) Umweltschutztechnik
- University of Stuttgart, Germany
Thesis: The Use of Natural Heat as a Tracer to Quantify Groundwater Surface Water Interactions: Maules Creek, New South Wales, Australia
This degree is comparable to a Master in Environmental Engineering Science