Email: erik.w.chan@gmail.com

**LAB ALUMNUS**

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Carbon Isotope Fractionation
• Microbial methanogenesis/methanotrophy
• Analytical instrument design
• Laser spectroscopy

My main area of interest is carbon isotope fractionation with respect to methanogenic and methanotrophic microbial growth. The purpose of my research is to expand our understanding of stable isotopes in our environment in order to use this knowledge to explain biogeochemical processes. Fractionation factors can be used to identify sources and sinks of methane and carbon dioxide in our environment. Conventional theory and practice has shown fractionation factors change during different microbial growth stages which makes it difficult to use fractionation factors in the field. Recent studies I am conducting in the laboratory and in the field are revealing some unexpected characteristics of this process. In addition, I enjoy developing analytical technology and techniques to aid in acquiring data from experiments.

EDUCATION 

• 2012-2017, Ph.D. Graduate Student, Dept of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.
• 2009-2012, Ph.D. Graduate Student, Dept of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
• 2005, B.S. , Biotechnology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Research Assistant, Princeton University Dept. of Geosciences, Onstott Lab

PUBLICATIONS

• Chan, E.W., A.M. Shiller, D.J. Joung, E.C. Arrington, D.L. Valentine, M.C. Redmond, J.A. Breier, S.A. Socolofsky, and J.D. Kessler (2019). "Investigations of Aerobic Methane Oxidation in Two Marine Seep Environments Part 1: Chemical Kinetics." Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015594 
• Chan, E.W., A.M. Shiller, D.J. Joung, E.C. Arrington, D.L. Valentine, M.C. Redmond, J.A. Breier, S.A. Socolofsky, and J.D. Kessler (2019). "Investigations of Aerobic Methane Oxidation in Two Marine Seep Environments Part 2: Isotopic Kinetics." Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015603
• Shiller, A. M., E. W. Chan, D. J. Joung, M. C. Redmond, and J. D. Kessler (2017) “Light rare earth element depletion during Deepwater Horizon blowout methanotrophy.” Nature: Scientific Reports, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-11060-z
• Chan, E., J. D. Kessler, A. Shiller, D.J. Joung, F. Colombo. (2016) “Aqueous mesocosm techniques enabling the real-time measurement of the chemical and isotopic kinetics of dissolved methane and carbon dioxide.” Environmental Science & Technology, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b04304
• J.D. Kessler, D.L. Valentine, M.C. Redmond, M. Du, E.W. Chan, S.D. Mendes, E.W. Quiroz, C.J. Villanueva, S.S. Shusta, L.M. Werra, S.A. Yvon-Lewis, and T.C. Weber. A Persistent Oxygen Anomaly Reveals the Fate of Spilled Methane in the Deep Gulf of Mexico - Science. January 2011, 331(6015) p. 312-315. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1199697
• D.L. Valentine, J.D. Kessler, M.C. Redmond, S.D. Mendes, M.B. Heintz, C.Farwell, L. Hu, F.S. Kinnaman, S. Yvon-Lewis, M. Du, E.W. Chan, F. Garcia-Tigreros, and C.J. Villanueva. Propane Respiration Jump-Starts Microbial Response to a Deep Oil Spill - Science. October 2010, 330(6001) p. 208-211. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1196830
• R. L. Stotler, S.K. Frape, B.M. Freifeld, B. Holden, T.C. Onstott, T. Ruskeeniemi, and E. Chan. Hydrogeology, Chemical and Microbial Activity Measurement Through Deep Permafrost - Ground Water April 2011, 49(3): p. 348-364. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.2010.00724.x
• Onstott T.C. Chan E. Precipitation of arsenic under sulfate reducing conditions and subsequent leaching under aerobic conditions - Applied Geochemistry March 2011, 26(3): p. 269-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2010.11.027
• Johnson, A.P., Pratt, L.M., Vishnivetskaya, T., Pfiffner, S., Bryan, R.A.,Dadachova, E., Whyte, L., Radtke, K., Chan, E., Tronick, S., Borgonie, G., Mancinelli, R.M., Rothshchild, L.J., Rogoff, D.A., Horikawa, D.D., Onstott, T.C. Extended survival of several organisms and amino acids under simulated martian surface conditions - Icarus. November 2010, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2010.11.011
• S.M. Pfiffner, T.C. Onstott, T. Ruskeeniemi, M. Talikka, C. Bakermans, D. McGown, E. Chan, A. Johnson, T.J. Phelps, M. Le Puil, S.A. Difurio, L.M. Pratt, R. Stotler, S. Frape, J. Telling, B. Sherwood Lollar, I. Neill, and B. Zerbin. Challenges for Deep Permafrost on Earth and Mars. Astrobiology. June 2008, 8(3): p. 623-638.

PRESENTATIONS

• Chan, E.W., J.D. Kessler, A. Shiller, M. Redmond, E. Arrington, D.L. Valentine. (2016) "Investigating the Chemical and Isotopic Kinetics of Aerobic Methane Oxidation in Two Different Novel Environments,"Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference, Tampa, FL. (Talk)
• Chan, E.W., J.D. Kessler, M. Redmond, A. Shiller, E. Arrington, D.L. Valentine, F. Colombo. (2016) "High Resolution Analytical Techniques for the Analysis of Methane Oxidation in Mesocosm Experiments," Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference, Tampa, FL. (Poster)
• Chan, E.W., J.D. Kessler, M. Redmond, A. Shiller, E. Arrington, D.L. Valentine, F. Colombo. (2015). "High resolution and comprehensive techniques to analyze aerobic methane oxidation in mesocosm experiments," AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Poster)
• Chan, E.W., J.D. Kessler, A. Shiller, M. Redmond, E. Arrington, D.L. Valentine. (2015). "Investigating the chemical and isotopic kinetics of aerobic methane oxidation in the Northern US Atlantic Margin, Hudson Canyon," AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Poster)
• Chan E. and J. Kessler. A Comprehensive Analysis of Methane Oxidation Events in Mesocosm Experiments. 2015. Goldschmidt, Prague, CZ. (Talk)
• Chan E. and J. Kessler. Theoretical and Experimental Reevaluation of Stable Isotope Kinetics During Microbial Growth Stages. 2013 AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Talk)
• Chan E. and J. Kessler. Methane Production and Destruction: Theoretical and Experimental Reevaluation of Methane Isotope Kinetics. 2011 IYC O3 Symposium, Washington D.C. (Poster)
• Chan E. Anaerobic Biostimulation for the In Situ Precipitation and Long-Term Sequestration of Metal Sulfides. November 2005 Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop, Washington D.C. (Poster)
• Chan E. Precipitation of Arsenic Under Sulfate Reducing Conditions and Subsequent Leaching Under Aerobic Conditions. November 2005 Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop, Washington D.C. (Poster)
• Chan E. Microbial Communities Present in Deep Permafrost of the Canadian Arctic. May 2007 American Society for Microbiology 107th General Meeting, Toronto, Canada  (Poster)
• Chan E. Microbial Communities Present in Deep Permafrost of the Canadian Arctic. April 2008, SETI Astrobiology Science Convention, Santa Clara, CA  (Poster)

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

• 5 semesters of undergraduate Oceanography Lab at Texas A&M University

AWARDS AND HONORS

• NSF STEM Fellowship
• Scherck Fellowship

SHIPBOARD & FIELD EXPERIENCE

• 2015, April 8-21, E/V Nautilus, Gulf of Mexico, USA
• 2014, July 7-14, R/V Endeavor, North Atlantic Bight, USA
• 2012, August 7-14, R/V Cape Hatteras, Gulf of Mexico, USA
• 2010, September 7-17, NOAA Boat Pisces, Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Gulf of Mexico, USA
• 2010, June 11-20, 2010, R/V Cape Hatteras, Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Gulf of Mexico, USA
• 2007, July 29 - August 11, High Lake, Nunavut Territory, Canada

Current Member: No

Order Number: 2