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Associate Professor · PhD

Andrei Ionuț Apopei

Geologist, Mineralogist, Developer, Digital Creator

Geologist and developer working at the intersection of mineralogy, Raman spectroscopy, geoinformatics and 3D digital heritage.

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Portrait of Andrei Ionuț Apopei

Iași, Romania

h-index
13
Publications
34
Projects
20
Years teaching
15+

About me

Finding the “truth about Earth”

My name is Andrei Ionuț Apopei. As my website suggests, I’m a geologist. What I love about geology is that it helps us find the “truth about Earth” and offers a constant feeling of discovery; looking at the simplest mineral on a molecular level is like describing a whole new world.

Why geology?

My interests in geology and informational techniques, applied to a wide range of problems in the field of geoscience, had finally been refined enough that I knew that one or two major topics are not enough for me. Currently, Mineralogy, Geoinformatics, and Raman spectroscopy are the scientific fields that best fit my interests.

These domains share a strong link, allowing people to understand Earth’s evolution and, for me, to share my knowledge and practical work with others — especially my students.

“Get busy living, or get busy dying.”
— The Shawshank Redemption
Andrei Apopei jumping mid-air beside an agave on a sunny field trip
Location
Iași, Romania
Website
geology.uaic.ro/andrei.apopei
Affiliation
Department of Geology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași

Resume

Research, teaching and curatorship

I earned a BSc in Geochemistry (2009) and a PhD in the Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Ore Deposits (2014) from the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași. I am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Geology and serve as the senior curator of the “Grigore Cobălcescu” Museum of Mineralogy and Petrography at the Faculty of Geography and Geology. My work in mineralogy, vibrational spectroscopy, ore geology, cultural heritage, and geoinformatics has led to 34 publications.

My current research interests focus on Raman spectroscopy in mineral science, ore deposit studies, and the application of 3D technologies and machine learning in geoscience.

Academic positions

  1. 2017 – present

    Associate Professor, PhD

    “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Romania

    • Crystallography
    • Systematic Mineralogy
    • Igneous Petrology
    • Professional Software

  2. Present

    Senior Curator

    “Grigore Cobălcescu” Museum of Mineralogy and Petrography, Iași

  3. 2015 – 2017

    Lecturer, PhD

    “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Romania

  4. 2011 – 2015

    Teaching Assistant

    “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Romania

Education & mobility

  1. 4–6 February 2025

    EC2U Staff Training Week on Innovative Digital Pedagogy

    University of Pavia, Italy

  2. 2018

    ERASMUS+ teaching staff mobility

    University of Huelva, Spain

  3. 2013 – 2014

    POSDRU scholarship

    Matej Bel University, Slovakia

  4. 2012 – 2014

    PhD in Geology

    “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Romania

  5. 2010 – 2011 (first semester)

    Erasmus scholarship

    Ghent University, Belgium

  6. 2010 – 2011

    MSc in Environmental Geochemistry

    “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Romania

  7. 2006 – 2009

    BSc in Geochemistry

    “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Romania

Skills

Driven by curiosity and creativity, I build projects across diverse domains. These are the skills I’ve honed along the way.

  • 3D & Photogrammetry95%

    High-precision 3D reconstruction for small-to-medium objects

  • Software & Game Development90%

    Java, C# and Unity

  • Graphic Design90%

    Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, InDesign; Inkscape, Blender, Cinema 4D

  • 3D Printing85%

    3D prints for teaching and cultural heritage

  • Full-Stack Web Development80%

    Front-end and back-end web development

  • Python & Machine Learning75%

    Projects that use machine learning

  • CAD70%

    Prototype designs for 3D printing in Fusion 360

  • WebGL65%

    3D websites using WebGL

Research

Selected publications

My contributions to mineralogy, geoinformatics, Raman spectroscopy and cultural heritage —34 papers, 14 as first author.

34 publications

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

  2. Raman Data Search and Storage (RDSS): a Java-based program for displaying and examining Raman spectra

    Apopei, A. I., Buzatu, A.

    Analele Științifice ale Universității “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași, seria Geologie, 65–66(1–2), 5–18

    First author

2017

2016

2015

2014

  2. New occurrences of hessite, petzite and stützite at Coranda-Hondol open pit (Certej gold-silver deposit, Romania)

    Apopei, A. I., Damian, G., Buzgar, N., Milovska, S., Buzatu, A.

    Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 9(2), 71–78

    First author

2013

  3. The composition and source of the raw material of two stone axes of Late Bronze Age from Neamț County (Romania) — A Raman study

    Buzgar, N., Apopei, A. I., Diaconu, V., Buzatu, A.

    Analele Științifice ale Universității “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași, seria Geologie, 59(1), 5–22

2012

  1. A preliminary Raman and FT-IR spectroscopic study of secondary hydrated sulfate minerals from the Hondol open pit (Metaliferi Mts., Romania)

    Apopei, A. I., Damian, G., Buzgar, N.

    Romanian Journal of Mineral Deposits, 85(2), 1–6

    First author

2011

  1. Raman study of the brownish-yellow pigment from a Roman Basilica (Dobrogea, Romania – 4th–6th century A.D.)

    Buzgar, N., Buzatu, A., Apopei, A. I., Aștefanei, D., Topoleanu, F.

    Analele Științifice ale Universității “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași, seria Geologie, 57(2), 15–18

  2. Raman and infrared spectroscopy of kaersutite and certain common amphiboles

    Apopei, A. I., Buzgar, N., Buzatu, A.

    Analele Științifice ale Universității “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași, seria Geologie, 57(2), 35–58

    First author

2010

  1. Raman and XRD studies of black pigment from Cucuteni ceramics

    Buzgar, N., Bodi, G., Buzatu, A., Apopei, A. I., Aștefanei, D.

    Analele Științifice ale Universității “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași, seria Geologie, 56(2), 95–108

  2. The Raman study of amphiboles

    Apopei, A. I., Buzgar, N.

    Analele Științifice ale Universității “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași, seria Geologie, 56(1), 107–125

    First author

2009

  1. The Raman study of certain carbonates

    Buzgar, N., Apopei, A. I.

    Analele Științifice ale Universității “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași, seria Geologie, 55(2), 98–112

Projects

Apps, platforms and digital geoheritage

Outside my {working hours}, I dedicate my free time to software and game development, web design, photography (especially micro- and macro-), video editing and some electronics.

Open to collaborations

Let’s build something together

I am actively seeking partners for research grants, academic collaborations, and innovative digital projects. If you are looking for a specialist who bridges the gap between geosciences and geoinformatics, I would love to connect.

  • Raman Spectroscopy

    Developing integrated spectral libraries and web-based analysis platforms.

  • Microscopy Digitization

    Building high-quality digital databases of mineral and rock thin sections (transmitted and reflected light), and training AI models for automated petrographic analysis.

  • Cultural Heritage & Digitization

    Creating high-fidelity 3D digital twins using photogrammetry and 3D Gaussian Splatting.

  • Machine Learning

    Applying AI and data-driven models to solve complex geological and mineralogical challenges.

Have a project in mind?

Research grants, academic partnerships or digital projects — write to me.

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