Dr. Laura M. Otter is a postdoctoral fellow at the Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, where she has been since November 2020. She earned her PhD in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Macquarie University (2020), a Master’s in Geosciences from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the University of Mainz (2015), and a Bachelor’s in Geosciences from the University of Mainz (2012).

Laura’s research focuses on biomineralization and geochemical processes, aiming to advance our fundamental understanding of paleo-environmental reconstructions, improve mollusk aquaculture and pearl culturing, and enhance knowledge of biogeochemical cycles. She integrates marine aquaculture of calcifying organisms with advanced multi-analytical techniques to investigate the incorporation of elements and isotopes into biominerals across macro to   length-scales. Her work has driven instrumental developments, including in-situ stable isotope calibration procedures and new analytical methods for Photo-induced Force Microscopy.

Laura has published over 20 peer-reviewed publications in prominent journals like Nature Communications, PNAS, and Scientific Reports, which have earned her the Beate Mocek Prize (2019) from the German Mineralogical Society among other recognitions. She has received funding including from the ANU, NCRIS/AuScope, and the Malacological Society of Australasia and invitations to present at prestigious institutions such as the China University of Geosciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, and Nanyang Technological University. Laura is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and a passionate advocate for underrepresented groups in science.