Harm van Kuppevelt is a geochemist from Utrecht, the Netherlands, with a background in physical and inorganic chemistry. He has a passion for sustainability and is fascinated by the way microscopic chemical processes influence large scale systems on earth, in particular the cycling of nutrients.
During his BSc. In chemistry at Utrecht University, Harm discovered his interest in the earth system and decided to pursue an academic career focusing on geochemistry. This led him to write his BSc. thesis on phosphate incorporation in schwertmannite, and, after a gap year where he cycled from the Netherlands to Singapore, the decision to do a MSc. in geoscience. Faced with the huge challenge of P pollution, which he learned about during his MSc. thesis on iron treatment to reduce P load in peat extraction ditches, he decided to apply for the RecaP project.
Within the RecaP project, Harm will use his geochemical and analytical background to research the transformation of P in lake sediments, in particular at the formation of the mineral vivianite. This could be a way to permanently store P in the sediment, thus forming an important step in P recovery from polluted lakes.
