Mayara Fraeda Barbosa Teixeira
Geosciences
A geologist passionate about uncovering the Earth’s ancient secrets, Mayara delves into the microscopic world of minerals like zircon to unravel processes that span millions of years.
A Federal University of Pará graduate, she earned her master’s degree in geochemistry and petrology and her PhD in geology and geochemistry from the same institution. She furthered her expertise with a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Western Australia. Her current research focuses on reconstructing the configuration and history of Earth’s oldest supercontinents, in particular, the formation of mountain ranges in the Amazon two billion years ago and their connection to the Colombian supercontinent.
Beyond her research, Mayara embraces life as a true Paraense, balancing her scientific pursuits with the pleasures of Amazonian cuisine and fine wine. A lecturer at the Federal University of Amazonas, she also enjoys traveling with her husband and caring for their pets.
Projects
Earth’s history is punctuated by the assembly and disassembly of supercontinents—massive landmasses that have shaped our planet. While Pangea is the most recent and best known, others, including Rodinia and Columbia, preceded it. Reconstructing these ancient supercontinents, especially the oldest ones like Columbia, is challenging due to the fragmented geological record. This project focuses on uncovering evidence of large mountain ranges formed in the Amazon region two billion years ago. By analyzing geological data, including rocks formed in these ancient mountains, we aim to understand how these mountain ranges connected to the landmass of Baltica-Laurentia and contributed to the formation of the supercontinent of Columbia.
