Indrani Mukherjee has always been fascinated with the fact that the transition of a simple cell into a complex one, billions of years ago, is the reason we share the planet with millions of species today. Her research focuses on “what drove that biological transition?” The approach involves a nuanced understanding of ancient marine environments, via novel and cutting-edge geochemical techniques. Her research questions key concepts, and explores links between early Earth evolution, the origin of complex life and formation of precious mineral deposits. Indrani earned her BSc Honours and Masters in Geology at the University of Delhi. She completed her PhD at UTAS in 2018 where she worked as a lecturer and postdoctoral researcher in Earth Science until 2022. She then went on to pursue the Roger E Deane Fellowship at the University of Toronto. Currently, Indrani is a lecturer and researcher in Earth Sciences at the University of New South Wales. She is a massive foodie, loves all things pyritic and Tassie bushwalks. She has only recently moved to Sydney and is thoroughly enjoying the diversity of delights Sydney has to offer.