Whether it's peering at an ancient rock laid out in a core shed in Namibia while monkeys chatter in the background, sitting at a computer working on a model of Ireland's rocks, or standing on a windswept beach in Dublin Bay scrutinising folded rocks, Dr Koen Torremans' research is driven by curiosity about the Earth and its history.
A structural geologist by training, Koen's current work is shaped by a deep motivation to help solve societal challenges.
His research can be divided into two broad areas: one is focused on understanding, finding and managing resources - mainly mineral deposits and heat - buried under Earth's surface, and the other on understanding where, how and why rocks deform.
These two areas go hand-in-hand, he explains, since places where rocks are intensely broken up and deformed are also important with respect to Earth's resources.
"Scientifically speaking, I am interested in all metals, but the ones we work on are those that are crucial for society, especially for the energy transition," he says.
These minerals include zinc, which is used in galvanising steel, copper, which is used in electrical wiring because it's conductive to electricity, and cobalt, which is used in batteries.
Koen studying the deformation of some of the oldest rocks in Ireland (Ordovician) in Co. Tyrone. Credit: Steve Hollis.
Feeling the heat
Koen's research in iCRAG in UCD initially focused on building a detailed picture of the top three kilometres of crust in Ireland, particularly in the midlands.
This pursuit continued thanks to funding from the European Union and European Commission, Science Foundation Ireland, many industry partners, and Geological Survey Ireland.
Currently, insights from this work are being used to better understand the potential for geothermal energy - where heat from under Earth's surface is used to generate heat and energy for society - across the Irish midlands and in large urban areas such as Dublin.
"To me, that was a bit surprising," says Koen, "but it typifies what many geologists who transition between sectors feel, because insights that might have been gathered for one purpose will be very useful for another, and the skills are very transferrable."
"There's great enthusiasm for geothermal energy at the moment, as well as other renewable energy industries, such as offshore wind, and it's really exciting to be a part of that from the research end," he says.
Koen with 'shatter cones' in Sudbury, Canada, which are evidence of one of the biggest asteroid impact events in Earth's history, and are also related to one of the world's most important nickel mining districts. Credit: Roisin Kyne.
A global outlook
Koen's fieldwork has taken him to remote and fascinating places.
"I've been very fortunate to collaborate with local partners on very interesting projects, many of which are in southern and central Africa, in Namibia, Zambia, and Botswana, but also in other more remote places such as West Greenland and the Andes Mountains."
"It's extremely eye-opening and a privilege to be to work with such a diverse set of collaborators across the world and exchange knowledge," he says.
Besides gaining an appreciation for the variety of geological processes that pertain to his research, fieldwork also allows Koen to spend time in nature, one of his main passions.
"My grandparents and parents always told me I was interested in many aspects of nature from a young age. I think that was instilled in me, and that still rings true to me. I really care a lot about nature and enjoy it, which is maybe why I enjoy fieldwork as well," he says.
Crossing disciplinary boundaries
"Our research is massively cross-disciplinary", he says, bringing together chemistry, mineralogy, structural geology, basin analysis, sedimentology, and computational numerical modelling.
This is typical of how earth scientists work and is "how we train earth scientists to work, so they are accustomed to learning new techniques and coping with many different types of data to solve complex problems."
In particular, working with social scientists and humanities researchers within iCRAG has been "a fascinating learning journey" for Koen.
Some of the measures involved in the energy transition, such as wind energy, geothermal energy, mining and quarrying, can be contentious, he notes.
"Anything we do around earth resources takes place in society, and this throws up questions."
For instance, there might be protests against the extraction of lithium, which is used in batteries, or the planned location of a wind farm.
In this context, "understanding what people think and feel, what drives people, and what might be acceptable solutions overall, is crucial and has been an important part of iCRAG's research."
"As a geoscientist, talking to social scientists and people in the humanities can feel different, but it's been very enriching because you start to learn how those disciplines work and how we can help to solve problems together."
Studying ancient sediments in Tipperary near Silvermines (Left: John Güven; Right: Koen Torremans).
A global shortage of earth scientists
Koen's passion for teaching and inspiring the next generation of earth scientists is clear.
"We currently have a critical global shortage of earth scientists, but we are absolutely going to need them to help solve climate change issues, the biodiversity crisis, and for many other basic societal needs."
"We need people who can understand all aspects of the earth system, and who can manage and understand the complex interaction between the human system and the earth system. This can include looking at what happens to water underground, above ground and in the air, and also the impact of the activities we do, for example in terms of earth resources and the energy transition, on ecology."
"Some of the current challenges in getting geoscientists trained include the very sad underfunding of PhD researchers and young researchers in general, often working in precarious employment," he adds.
When asked to give one piece of advice to early career researchers, it would be to "stand on the shoulders of giants."
"Ask for all the support you can get and take it with both hands. I was able to do the things I do because I asked for help. The support staff across the university are absolutely key in this respect, as well as your other colleagues."
Dr Koen Torremans is Funded Investigator at iCRAG, Ad Astra Assistant Professor at University College Dublin, and co-lead of the UCD Fault Analysis Group.