Assistant Professor Alan Seltzer has been named this year’s recipient of the F.G. Houtermans Award by the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG) .
Recognising exceptional contributions to geochemistry by an early career scientist, the award, named in honour of physicist Friedrich Georg Houtermans, acknowledges outstanding scientific achievement at an international level.
Dr Seltzer is an Ad Astra Fellow and Assistant Professor of Hydrogeology at the UCD School of Earth Sciences , and an affiliated scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
He was recognised by the EAG for his achievements in the fields of hydrogeology, marine chemistry, climate science, and mantle geochemistry.
In particular, for his development of novel ultra-high precision analytical methods which have led to important recent discoveries in these fields of study, including helping to uncover geochemical signals of past climate retained within fossil groundwater systems to better understand fundamental interactions between climate and hydrogeology.
Since joining UCD in 2025, he has led a research programme focused on tracer-based approaches to groundwater science, strengthening UCD’s research profile in Earth and environmental sciences.
His current research is focused primarily on developing new tools to understand the sources, pathways, and cycling of groundwater and its dissolved constituents, including nitrate and carbon.
The EAG, through its awards, fellowships and special lectures, seeks to recognise outstanding contributions to geochemistry.
The F.G. Houtermans Award is presented annually by the organisation at its Goldschmidt Conference , the foremost international conference on geochemistry and related subjects, and includes an engraved medal, a certificate and an honorarium.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
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