SAWADA Ken
Professor
Elucidaing earth's history by organic molecular fossil
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Earth and Planetary System Science
Theme | Reconstructing paleoenvirinment, paleoclimate, and paleoecosystem using biomarker and kerogen in sediment and fossil |
Field | Organic Geochemistry, Biogeochemistry, Organic Sedimentology, Paleo-biochemistry |
Keyword | Molecular fossil, Biomarker, Kerogen, Sediment, Earth's environmental history, Paleoenvironmental analysis, Organic matter, Biological evolution, Alkenone, Resistant macromolecule, Geomacromolecule |
Introduction of Research
My primary area of specialization is in "Organic biogeochemistry, for long-time scale evolution and variation of earth’s biosphere". My research focuses on the biogeochemical processes associated with marine phytoplankton and terrestrial plant, the paleoclimatic variations in ocean and continent, the biogeochemical linkage between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, the evolution of terrestrial plant and vegetation, and the biogeochemical roles of production and deposition of bio- (and geo-) macromolecule. Fundamental knowledge in organic geochemistry, (paleo-) biochemistry, molecular paleontology, and sedimentary geology is used to study the climatic variation, evolution of biosphere, and biogeochemical processes, and ultimately, to develop biomarkers from ancient sediment and fossil as well as living biological organism. Current research programs are paleoclimatic variation, especially which was associated with the Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs), and paleo-vegetation changes in terrestrial environment during the Cretaceous, and paleoclimatic evolution in several oceanic areas during the Cretaceous to Neogene. The latter program has been sponsored by the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP).
Representative Achievements
1998, 392, 592-59.
Academic degree | Ph.D. |
Academic background | 1991 B.S. (Geology) Shinshu University 1997 Doctor of Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University 1997-2000 PD Researcher, Department of Chemistry, University of Tsukuba 2001-2012 Lecturer, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University 2013-2020 Associate Professor, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University 2020- Present Position |
Affiliated academic society | The Geological Society of Japan, Geochemical Society of Japan, Japanese Association of Organic, Geochemistry, American Geophysical Union, European Association of Organic, Geochemistry |