Staff Profile

Steven Pike

Preferred Name: Steven M Pike

RESEARCH SPECIALIST

MARINE CHEMISTRY & GEOCHEMISTRY

Email: spike@whoi.edu

Phone: 508 289 2350

Education

M.S. 1998 Graduate School of Oceanography/University of Rhode Island (Chemical Oceanography) B.S. 1996 University of Rhode Island (Chemistry/Chemical Oceanography)                                   A.A. 1992 Cape Cod Community College

Research Statement

Since starting at WHOI in December of 1998 for Dr. Ken Buesseler in his Thorium analysis lab, affectionately known as “Café Thorium”, my technical skills in trace metal and radiochemistry have proven essential to its success.  Almost twenty years later, Café Thorium continues to be at the forefront of innovation in environmental radiochemistry.  I have authored 3 original methods papers on isolating isotopes of thorium, curium and cesium.  My role in developing and refining new collection and analytical methods used in our research has resulted in advanced techniques adopted by the marine chemistry community.  As the Woods Hole Oceanographic Radioanalytical Facility manager, I collaborated with industry experts in published results on cutting edge developments in gamma spectroscopy.  My responsibilities as lab and facility manager include supervision of personnel, cruise planning, field work, sample preparation, post cruise analysis and data evaluation, and proposal and manuscript preparation.

Research Interests

Analysis and evaluation of trace metal contaminants in the environment including groundwater, aerosols and precipitation. Isolation and measurement of artificial and natural radioisotopes in seawater and sediments; development of field and laboratory techniques for detecting radioisotopes.