Ronnakrit Rattanasriampaipong

Ronnakrit Rattanasriampaipong

Graduate Student

Doctoral Candidate

Paleoceanography and paleoclimatology (Cenozoic–Mesozoic), Paleothermometry, Organic geochemistry, Lipid biomarkers, Stable isotope geochemistry, Archaeal ecology evolution in global oceans, Data sciences

  rrattan@tamu.edu

  Eller O&M 525B

Research

Dissertation: (Tentative) Beyond TEX86: Evaluating Archaeal Evolution Coupled with Oceans and Climate Changes using Tetraether Lipids

Advisor and chair committee: Dr. Yige Zhang

Committee members: Drs. Ethan Grossman, Robert Korty, Jason Sylvan

Towards complete TEX86-based sea surface temperature (SST) records for the entire Cenozoic era

  • Identified spatio-temporal gaps in publicly available Cenozoic TEX86 records
  • Collected core samples at Gulf Coast Repository (GCR) (College Station, TX) for lipid biomarker analysis (multiple visits)
  • Conducted analytical work for coarse-resolution SST reconstructions from ten ODP/IODP sites

Archaeal lipids trace ecology and evolution of marine ammonia-oxidizing archaea

  • Compiled and quality controlled an extensive dataset (n ~ 4,000 entries from 79 publications) of isoprenoidal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) derived from different archives
  • Identified diagnostic distribution patterns of GDGT assemblages that trace marine archaeal ecology and evolution
Utilized modern statistical analyses and unsupervised clustering algorithms

 

Impact

Born and raised in a concrete jungle like Bangkok, Thailand, the two ways that I could learn about our Planet Earth and the world around me were either: (1) watch nature documentaries narrated by David Attenborough or (2) become an Earth investigator (geologist) myself. I choose both!

From studying tsunami deposits in the southern part of Thailand to evaluating hydrocarbon fields and assessing geologic risks in the Gulf of Thailand, I am now an aspired paleoceanographer/organic geochemist at Zhang Lab, Department of Oceanography, TAMU.  Since Fall 2018, I have become a lipid biomarker enthusiast—especially glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers or GDGTs—and a self-taught Pythonista who uses statistical approaches to tackle some not-well-understood aspects of the TEX86 paleotemperature proxy and the ecology and evolution of marine ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA).

I am proud to be a Fulbright Thai Graduate Grantee, a Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellow, and a finisher of couples of ultra-distance (50–160km) running events.

Selected Publications

Judd, E. J., Tierney, J. E., Huber, B. T., Wing, S. L., Lunt, D. J., Ford, H. L., Inglis, G. N., McClymont, E. L., O’Brien, C. L., Rattanasriampaipong, R., Si, W., Staitis, M. L., Thirumalai, K., Anagnostou, E., Cramwinckel, M. J., Dawson, R. R., Evans, D., Gray, W. R., Grossman, E. L., Henehan, M. J., Hupp, B. N., MacLeod, K. G., O'Connor, L. K., Sánchez-Montes, M. L., Song, H., Zhang, Y. G. (2022). The PhanSST global database of Phanerozoic sea surface temperature proxy data. Sci. Data, 9(753). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01826-0

Rattanasriampaipong, R., Zhang, Y. G., Pearson, A., Hedlund, B., and Zhang, S. (2022) Archaeal lipids trace ecology and evolution of marine ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 119(31), e2123193119.

Rattanasriampaipong, R. (2016). Potential Sources of Mercury in Southern Pattani Basin, the Gulf of Thailand. Bulletin of Earth Sciences of Thailand. 8(2), 133–144.

 

Education

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE STATION, TX, USA

Ph.D. Oceanography | July 2018–present

 

CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY, BANGKOK, THAILAND

M.Sc. Petroleum Geosciences (International Program) | July 2015–June 2016

B.Sc. Geology | July 2009–May 2013

Awards

Research Grants and Fellowships

Texas Sea Grant’s Grants-In-Aid of Graduate Research Program, Texas Sea Grant, 2022–2024 

Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellowship, US Science Support Program associated with the International Ocean Discovery Program (USSSP-IODP), 2021–2022

 

Academic Fellowships and Scholarships

College of Geosciences Fellowship*, College of Geosciences, TAMU, 2022–2023

*Merit-based Graduate Fellowship from College of Geosciences, TAMU, that acknowledges excellence in academic performance

Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth P. Pipes Endowed Fellowship, 2022–2023

Oceanography Graduate Scholarship**, Department of Oceanography, TAMU, 2018–2023

**Merit-based Graduate Scholarship from the Department of Oceanography, TAMU, that acknowledges excellence in academic performance

Susanne Leininger '77 and Steve Leininger Scholarship, 2022–2023

Donald & Melba Ross Graduate Scholarship, 2021–2022

Donald & Melba Ross Graduate Scholarship, 2020–2021

James Sharp Graduate Scholarship, 2019–2020

Donald & Melba Ross Graduate Scholarship, 2018–2019

Fulbright Thai Graduate Scholarship, Foreign Fulbright Student Program, 2018–2020

Chevron Thailand Graduate Scholarship, Chevron Thailand, 2015–2016

Chevron Undergraduate Scholarship, Chevron Thailand, 2012–2013

Mitsui Oil Exploration Company (MOECO) Undergraduate Scholarship, 2011–2013

 

Travel Grants

Fall Meeting Student Travel Grant, American Geophysical Union (AGU), 12/2022

Oceanography Graduate Council (OGC) mini-grant, TAMU Oceanography, 12/2021

OGC mini-grant, TAMU Oceanography, 12/2019

Research and Presentation Award, Graduate and Professional School (GPS), TAMU, 12/2019

 

Honors and Awards

A representative of 2018 Fulbright Thai Grantees to give an acceptance speech at the Award Recognition Ceremony, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok, June 6th, 2018

Champion of The Hitachi Trophy 2013 Senior Project Competition, April 2013

Additional Information

Advisor: Dr. Yige Zhang

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE STATION, TX, USA

Graduate Assistant Lecturer | Department of Oceanography, TAMU

Teaching semesters (total students = 201): Spring 2021 (116), Summer 2021 (37), Summer 2022 (48)

  • Oceanography (OCNG 251): Teaching an asynchronous online Introduction to Oceanography class for non-oceanography major undergraduate students (Link to class recordings)
  • Served as an instructor of record responsible for planning class curriculum, providing feedback, and grading assignments and exams

Research Staff | R/V Trident Research Cruise, Galveston Bay, Texas, November 3rd, 2018

Chief Scientist: Dr. Jessica Fitzsimmons, Co-Chief Scientist: Garrett Walsh

  • Collected seawater samples with Niskin bottles in Galveston Bay
  • Measured seawater properties (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) using handheld CTD
  • Observed other oceanographic sampling operations: seafloor grab sampling, water turbity using Secchi disk, seawater pumping for biological and trace metal analyses

 

CHEVRON THAILAND EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION LIMITED, BANGKOK, THAILAND

Development Geologist, Satun-Funan Asset Team, August 2016–June 2018

Horizons Earth Scientist, Accelerated Earth Scientist Orientation Program, June 2013–July 2015

  • Identify hydrocarbon potentials and conduct detailed geological assessments within the extensional basin (mainly fluvio-deltaic depositional environments) based only multiple data sets including wireline logs, 3D seismic, and historical production data
  • Manipulate geological data from over 5,000 drilled wells and establish meaningful data visualizations – such as detailed pore pressure analysis and geo-statistical reserves booking
  • Integrate cross-disciplinary data including geological, petroleum engineering, and drilling engineering data to optimize hydrocarbon exploration and production
  • Re-evaluate and discriminate regional pore pressure and temperature regime to enhance the accuracy of predrilled reserves prediction for all undeveloped projects in the Gulf of Thailand
  • Developed a new method for reservoir pressure evaluation using wireline logging and gas show

Student Intern, Reservoir Management Team, two consecutive summers, April–May 2012/13

  • Well logging interpretation (triple combo suites) and stratigraphic correlation (mainly fluvio-deltaic depositional environments)
  • Pore pressure profile prediction and oil and gas reserves estimation for YUWA platform
  • Re-targeting geological targets for nine future platforms in Dara geologic trend

 

FIELD/CRUISE EXPERIENCE

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE STATION, TX, USA

Research Staff | R/V Trident Research Cruise, Galveston Bay, Texas, November 3rd, 2018

Chief Scientist: Dr. Jessica Fitzsimmons, Co-Chief Scientist: Garrett Walsh

  • Collected seawater samples with Niskin bottles in Galveston Bay
  • Measured seawater properties (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) using handheld CTD
  • Observed other oceanographic sampling operations: seafloor grab sampling, water turbity using Secchi disk, seawater pumping for biological and trace metal analyses

 

CHEVRON THAILAND EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION LIMITED, BANGKOK, THAILAND

Shore-based Operational Geologist | Chevron Thailand Headquarter, Bangkok, Thailand

  • Project(s) Duration: 6 months, July–December 2017
  • 2 infill projects in Jakrawan Gas Field: 20 wells drilled with 90% accuracy between pre-drill and post-drill hydrocarbon reserves estimations
  • Conducted real-time stratigraphic correlation (wireline triple combo) and re-evaluated pore pressure profile during drilling operations
  • Evaluated economic justifications on a well-by-well basis to optimize project costs and maximize hydrocarbon resources

Wellsite Geologist Trainee | T-11 Tender Rig, Gulf of Thailand, November 2nd–13th, 2014

  • Observed and learned real-time drilling operations at Moragot E platform, Moragot gas field, the Gulf of Thailand

Key learning activities: Formation pressure acquisition (HSFT-II tool), Formation Integrity Test (FIT), Rig-floor operations

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