Members

Head of Department

Damien Lemarchand

Damien Lemarchand works as a senior teacher-researcher at the University of Strasbourg within the Institut Terre et Environnement de Strasbourg (EOST-ITES). He obtained his PhD in 2001 in isotope geochemistry at the University of Paris VII and at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP). He continued his research on the isotopic fractionation of calcium during calcite precipitation (Caltech, USA) before being hired as a teacher-researcher in 2003 at the University of Strasbourg. His research focuses on isotopic fingerprinting of water/rock interactions with a particular emphasis on biogeochemical cycles in forest ecosystems, reconstruction of the present and past weathering regime in continental areas as well as description of water/rock interactions in geothermal systems.

Since 2018, he has been involved in teaching at UFAZ and has been working since 2020 as the coordinator of the two-year master’s program in geosciences at UFAZ in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Local Head Coordinator

Lucas Bofill

Lucas is an Associate Professor at the University of Strasbourg, based at the French-Azerbaijani University in Baku. He earned his Ph.D. in Sedimentology and Hydrogeology from the University of Strasbourg. Prior to his doctoral studies, he completed a Master's degree in Hydrogeology and worked as a consulting geologist in Brazil. He also gained experience at a geophysical start-up in the United States, where he spent a year working on oil and gas prospection.

Lucas’s main research interests include the sedimentology of continental and coastal depositional environments, the implications of sedimentary processes for heterogeneities in aquifers and deep reservoirs, and groundwater flow modelling. He is passionate about interdisciplinary studies and is committed to building bridges between academia, industry, and the general public.

Geophysical Engineering Coordinator

Arzu Aliyeva

Arzu is a Geophysical Bachelor Coordinator at UFAZ. She has a Master's Degree in Sedimentology from Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University. She has worked at Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University as a teacher since 2019. She has 4 years of teaching experience in Mineralogy, Petrography, General Geology, and related fields. Currently, she is doing a Ph.D. at Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University.

Petroleum Engineering Coordinator

Fidan Aslanzada

Fidan is an ‘Oil &Gas Engineering’ program coordinator at UFAZ. She is a Master in Petroleum Engineering from Azerbaijan State Oil and Industrial University and holds an MBA degree from Anglia Ruskin University (UK). She has more than 10 years of experience in Reservoir Engineering, Petrophysics and Sedimentology and over three years of teaching experience in related sciences. Today, she pursue a PhD at the University of Strasbourg on the Productive Series in the western South Caspian Basin. Her research interests are 3D reservoir model, sedimentology, petrophysics, oil and gas reservoirs’ production optimization.

Geoscience Assistant

Dashgin Abakarov

Dashgin is a Geoscience Assistant at French-Azerbaijani University (UFAZ). He studies a Master’s in Geosciences and holds a bachelor’s in Geological Engineering from State Oil and Industry University (ASOIU). He participated in the 2022 Azerbaijan Summer School: Mud Volcanism and Petroleum Systems. He has hands-on experience as a Field Supervisor at Star Mining LLC. He does a research project ‘Petrophysical assessment of fire resistance of limestone of Baku buildings’ under the supervision of associated professor Clara Jodry and professor Michael Heap, Strasbourg University.