Postdoctoral research assistant | LIAG-Institute for Applied Geophysics | Germany
Mohammad Paknia is a postdoctoral research assistant at the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG), Germany, specializing in paleomagnetism and rock magnetism. His research primarily focuses on the application of these methods to understand past climatic changes, environmental conditions, and tectonic processes. Paknia is known for his expertise in analyzing magnetic mineralogy, sedimentary sequences, and depositional environments, utilizing these data to reconstruct paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic changes. Through his work, he bridges multiple fields, contributing significantly to paleoclimatology, sedimentology, and tectonics, offering new insights into Earth’s dynamic history.
Profile
Scopus
Education
Paknia holds a PhD in Geosciences from the University of Roma Tre, Italy (2019), where his research explored the evolution of the Iranian Plateau, using paleomagnetic, rock magnetic, and sedimentological analyses. Prior to his PhD, he completed a postgraduate study in Geosciences at the University of Helsinki, Finland (2014-2016). He also earned his MSc in Geosciences from the Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran (2011). His academic background is characterized by a strong foundation in paleomagnetism and sedimentology, complemented by his advanced studies in the integration of these disciplines to address geological and environmental questions.
Experience
Paknia has extensive research and teaching experience, having worked in various prestigious institutions globally. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at LIAG, where he contributes to the magnetostratigraphy of sedimentary cores from Germany and Ghana. Previously, he served as a teaching assistant at the University of Tehran, where he taught paleomagnetism. He has also been a visiting researcher at the Institute for Rock Magnetism at the University of Minnesota, USA, and a visiting scholar at the University of Helsinki. His career spans across both academic and industrial collaborations, focusing on environmental and climate reconstructions through paleomagnetic methods.
Research Interests
Paknia’s research interests lie at the intersection of paleomagnetism, rock magnetism, and tectonics. He is dedicated to developing new magnetic proxies for reconstructing climatic and environmental variations over geological timescales. His work integrates paleomagnetic data with sedimentological and geophysical datasets to reconstruct past climates and assess tectonic processes. His ongoing projects, including those related to Lake Bosumtwi in Ghana and the Riedstadt core in Germany, focus on understanding regional climatic shifts and basin evolution over the last million years.
Awards
Paknia’s academic excellence has been recognized with several prestigious fellowships and grants. These include a fully-funded PhD research grant at the University of Roma Tre, a visiting scholar fellowship at the University of Minnesota, and the Nordenskiöld Research Foundation’s fellowship for research at the University of Helsinki. He has also received multiple research grants from the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics to support his postdoctoral projects. His work continues to garner recognition from the international scientific community, and his contributions are celebrated in both academic and research circles.
Publications
Paknia, M., Ballato, P., Bilardello, D., Zeeden, Ch., and Jackson, M. (2023). “Rock magnetic signature of red beds from the intermontane Tarom Basin (NW Iran): insights into middle to late Miocene environmental conditions and possible forcing mechanisms.” Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology. [DOI: 10.1029/2023PA004811].
Zeeden, C., Paknia, M., Scheidt, S., Kaboth-Bahr, S., Vinnepand, M., and Hoselmann, C. (2024). “First paleomagnetic results from the borehole ‘Riedstadt-Erfelden’.” Geological Yearbook Hesse, 141.
Paknia, M., Ballato, P., Heidarzadeh, G.H., et al. (2021). “Neogene tectonostratigraphic evolution of the intermontane Tarom Basin: insights into basin filling and plateau building processes.” Tectonics, 40:3. [DOI: 10.1029/2020TC00624].
Paknia, M., Ballato, P., Heidarzadeh, GH. Cifelli, F., Oskooi, B., Feinberg, J., Jackson, M. (2021). “Middle-late Miocene normal faulting in the intermontane Tarom Basin during collisional deformation.” Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jseaes.2021.104846].
Salminen, J., Paknia, M., Kaakinen, A., et al. (2016). “Preliminary magnetostratigraphic results from the Miocene Maragheh Formation, NW Iran.” Palaeobio Palaeoenv, 96:433–443.
Mirzaie Ataabadi, M., et al. (2016). “The late Miocene hominoid-bearing site in the Maragheh Formation, NW Iran.” Palaeobio Palaeoenv, 96:349–371.
Paknia, M., Alimohammadian, H., Majidi fard, M.R., et al. (2013). “Magnetostratigraphy and Biostratigraphy of Bathonian-Callovian boundary (Middle Jurassic) of Golbini section, Eastern Alborz, Iran.” GEOSCIENCES. Vol. 22, No. 1.
Conclusion
Mohammad Paknia’s work integrates paleomagnetic, sedimentological, and geophysical methods to provide deep insights into past environmental and tectonic processes. His research contributes to a broader understanding of Earth’s climatic history, especially in regions like the Iranian Plateau and West Africa. With a strong academic background, extensive fieldwork, and collaborative efforts, Paknia is advancing our knowledge of paleoclimate, sedimentary dynamics, and tectonics. His contributions, backed by significant publications and research collaborations, continue to influence the fields of geosciences and environmental studies.