Shannon L. Flynn

Details

Education

• Ph.D., Geomicrobiology/Geochemistry, 2015, University of Notre Dame, USA.
• B.S. Cum Laude, Environmental Engineering, 2009, Michigan Technological University, USA.
• B.S., Liberal Arts and Dual Degree Engineering, 2010, Northland College, USA.

Professional experience

• Newcastle University, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle, UK
• August 2017-July 2026, Lecturer in Inorganic Geochemistry
• University of Alberta, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Edmonton, AB, Canada
• November 2014-August 2017, Postdoctoral Researcher

Research and professional interests

My research explores the controls on metal bioavailability, predicts the formation of critical metal resources in brines, and traces the evolution of ocean chemistry. I combine laboratory and field studies with techniques such as ICP-MS, XRD, and SEM to reveal reaction mechanisms and mineral transformations. My current research focuses on (1) the weathering of primary lithium minerals for brine formation, (2) nutrient release from silicate minerals and plant metal uptake, (3) the use of plants to extract rare earth elements from mine wastes, and (4) the reactivity of and chemical markers of wildfire-derived charcoal.

Recent Papers (* denotes supervised student author)

-Tingey S., Wadham J.L., Telling J., Hawkings J.R., Flynn S.L., and Sgouridis F. (2026) Toxin or treat? Glacial flour as a source of beneficial micronutrients, Agriculture, 16(7), 731.
-*Obeng S.A., Flynn S.L., Manning D.A.C., Stewart G., Wakefield M., Edwards M., Collins L., and McInnes K. (2026) Influence of Enhanced Rock Weathering of nepheline syenite on major and trace elements accumulation in wheat, European Journal of Soil Science, 77.1, e70282.
-*Robinson A.D., Acikalin S., Stewart G., Bishop B., Robbins L.J., and Flynn S.L. (2025) Understanding the Li resource potential of granite hosted geothermal brines using near-surface measurements, Applied Geochemistry, p. 106428.
-*Li, F., Chen, Z.A., Acikalin, S., Ogg, J.G., Flynn, S., Liu, G., Zhang, P., Wang, J., Chen, A., and Hou, M., 2025. Storm deposit characteristics and orbital cyclicity of the Early Devonian Xiejiawan Formation in the Longmenshan area, Sichuan Province, China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, p.112792.
-*Snihur K.N., Tang L., Rozanitis K.J., Rueda D.G., Lazowski C.N., Kononovs D., Swaren L.R., Gingras M.K., Kenney J.P.L., Flynn S.L., Konhauser K.O., and Alessi D.S. (2025) Physicochemical properties of wildfire-generated pyrogenic, Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 27(5), 1458-1471.
-Tingey S., Wadham J.L., Telling J., Flynn S.L., Hawkings J.R., Palinkas S.S., Mun Y., Yates C.C., Lamarche-Gagnon G., Burford R., Ramanathan A.L., Hetherington A., Dodd A.N., Liu X., and Sgouridis (2025) The potential for glacial flour to impact soil fertility, crop yield and nutrition in mountain regions, iScience.28(1).
-Bishop B.A., Alam M.S., Flynn S.L., Chen N., Hao W., Ramachandran Shivakumar K., Swaren L., Gutierrez Rueda D., Konhauser K.O., Alessi D.S. and Robbins L.J., (2024) Rare Earth Element Adsorption to Clay Minerals: Mechanistic Insights and Implications for Recovery from Secondary Sources. Environmental Science & Technology, 58(16), pp.7217-7227.