CURRENT STUDENTS
Megan Fairchild
Megan has accepted a PhD opportunity at Cornell University with Dr. Megan Holycross.
Projects: Generating volcanology-based modules for Utah's K-12 educators (2020); Fractional crystallization trends of the Beaver Ridge basalts, Utah (2020); Earthquake hazards and preparedness efforts along the Wasatch Front, Utah (2019-2020)
Collaborators: Utah Society of Environmental Education; Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Jonathan Amburgey, Anne-Solene Bregou, M Kane Dodson (Westminster College)
Presentations: 2020 GSA Rocky Mountain section meeting, Orem, Utah (conference cancelled due to COVID-19; link to abstract); 2019 GSA annual meeting, Phoenix, AZ (link to abstract 1; link to abstract 2); 2019 Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, Weber State University
Awards: NAGT field camp scholarship 2020; Association for Women Geoscientists Ekdale field camp scholarship 2020
Megan has accepted a PhD opportunity at Cornell University with Dr. Megan Holycross.
Projects: Generating volcanology-based modules for Utah's K-12 educators (2020); Fractional crystallization trends of the Beaver Ridge basalts, Utah (2020); Earthquake hazards and preparedness efforts along the Wasatch Front, Utah (2019-2020)
Collaborators: Utah Society of Environmental Education; Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Jonathan Amburgey, Anne-Solene Bregou, M Kane Dodson (Westminster College)
Presentations: 2020 GSA Rocky Mountain section meeting, Orem, Utah (conference cancelled due to COVID-19; link to abstract); 2019 GSA annual meeting, Phoenix, AZ (link to abstract 1; link to abstract 2); 2019 Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, Weber State University
Awards: NAGT field camp scholarship 2020; Association for Women Geoscientists Ekdale field camp scholarship 2020
Taylor McCombs
Project: Geochemical modeling of one million year old basalts from the Black Rock Desert, Utah
Collaborators: Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Project: Geochemical modeling of one million year old basalts from the Black Rock Desert, Utah
Collaborators: Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Tristan Palmer
Gus Pyle
Project: Investigating volcanism within the Black Rock Desert, Utah
Collaborators: Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Project: Investigating volcanism within the Black Rock Desert, Utah
Collaborators: Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Sully Swearingen
Project: Investigating volcanism within the Black Rock Desert, Utah
Collaborators: Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Project: Investigating volcanism within the Black Rock Desert, Utah
Collaborators: Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
FORMER STUDENTS
Rachel Darata
Rachel was a GeoCorps America Geology Interpretive Guide at the Hudson-Meng Education Research Center, Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, U.S. Forest Service, in Harrison, Nebraska during the summer of 2018. (link)
Project: Paleomagnetism and high-precision 40Ar/39Ar sanidine dating of post-supereruption rhyolites in the Yellowstone Volcanic Field
Presentations: 2016 GSA annual meeting, Denver, CO; 2016 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT; 2016 Rocky Mountain GSA, Moscow, ID; 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT
Collaborators: Peter Lippert (Utah Paleomagnetic Center, University of Utah); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Mark Schmitz (Boise State University)
Publications: The duration of a Yellowstone super-eruption cycle and implications for the age of the Olduvai subchron download
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America
Rachel was a GeoCorps America Geology Interpretive Guide at the Hudson-Meng Education Research Center, Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, U.S. Forest Service, in Harrison, Nebraska during the summer of 2018. (link)
Project: Paleomagnetism and high-precision 40Ar/39Ar sanidine dating of post-supereruption rhyolites in the Yellowstone Volcanic Field
Presentations: 2016 GSA annual meeting, Denver, CO; 2016 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT; 2016 Rocky Mountain GSA, Moscow, ID; 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT
Collaborators: Peter Lippert (Utah Paleomagnetic Center, University of Utah); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Mark Schmitz (Boise State University)
Publications: The duration of a Yellowstone super-eruption cycle and implications for the age of the Olduvai subchron download
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America
Ryan Furlong
Project: Petrochronology of small-volume rhyolitic eruptions and contributions to a Yellowstone supereruption
Presentations: 2016 GSA annual meeting, Denver, CO; 2016 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT; 2016 Rocky Mountain GSA, Moscow, ID; 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT; 2015 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT
Ryan graduated in May 2017.
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America
Project: Petrochronology of small-volume rhyolitic eruptions and contributions to a Yellowstone supereruption
Presentations: 2016 GSA annual meeting, Denver, CO; 2016 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT; 2016 Rocky Mountain GSA, Moscow, ID; 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT; 2015 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT
Ryan graduated in May 2017.
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America
Stephanie Gardiner
Stephanie is currently exploring opportunities for graduate school, with an emphasis on atmospheric chemistry.
Project: The Green Canyon Flow and its relationship to the Mesa Falls Tuff caldera-forming eruption
Presentations: 2017 GSA annual meeting, Seattle, WA (Link to abstract) 2016 GSA annual meeting, Denver, CO; 2016 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT; 2015 AGU Virtual Poster Showcase [2nd place winner] Watch here!
Collaborators: Mark Schmitz (Boise State University); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America; The Associated Students of Westminster
Stephanie is currently exploring opportunities for graduate school, with an emphasis on atmospheric chemistry.
Project: The Green Canyon Flow and its relationship to the Mesa Falls Tuff caldera-forming eruption
Presentations: 2017 GSA annual meeting, Seattle, WA (Link to abstract) 2016 GSA annual meeting, Denver, CO; 2016 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT; 2015 AGU Virtual Poster Showcase [2nd place winner] Watch here!
Collaborators: Mark Schmitz (Boise State University); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America; The Associated Students of Westminster
Stacy Henderson
Stacy is a PhD student at Montana State University with Dr. Madison Meyers.
Project: The paleomagnetic and eruption record of Pleistocene basalts on the margins of Yellowstone calderas
Presentations: 2017 GSA annual meeting, Seattle, WA (Link to abstract); 2017 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT
Collaborators: Peter Lippert (Utah Paleomagnetic Center, University of Utah); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America; The Associated Students of Westminster; The Association for Women Geoscientists (SLC Chapter); Utah Geological Association
Awards: W.A. Tarr Award (Sigma Gamma Epsilon Theta Psi 2018)
Stacy is a PhD student at Montana State University with Dr. Madison Meyers.
Project: The paleomagnetic and eruption record of Pleistocene basalts on the margins of Yellowstone calderas
Presentations: 2017 GSA annual meeting, Seattle, WA (Link to abstract); 2017 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT
Collaborators: Peter Lippert (Utah Paleomagnetic Center, University of Utah); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America; The Associated Students of Westminster; The Association for Women Geoscientists (SLC Chapter); Utah Geological Association
Awards: W.A. Tarr Award (Sigma Gamma Epsilon Theta Psi 2018)
McKenna (Miki) Holliday
Miki is a PhD student at the University of Florida with Dr. Courtney Sprain.
Project: Timing of the Markagunt Gravity Slide, Marysvale Volcanic Field, Utah
Collaborators: Bob Biek (Utah Geological Survey); Peter Lippert, Barbara Nash, and Amir Allam (University of Utah); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Presentations: 2019 Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, Weber State University; 2019 GSA annual meeting, Phoenix, AZ (link to abstract)
Funding: IsoAstro NSF-sponsored workshop; On to the Future (Geological Society of America)
Awards: W.A. Tarr Award (Sigma Gamma Epsilon Theta Psi 2020)
Miki is a PhD student at the University of Florida with Dr. Courtney Sprain.
Project: Timing of the Markagunt Gravity Slide, Marysvale Volcanic Field, Utah
Collaborators: Bob Biek (Utah Geological Survey); Peter Lippert, Barbara Nash, and Amir Allam (University of Utah); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Presentations: 2019 Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, Weber State University; 2019 GSA annual meeting, Phoenix, AZ (link to abstract)
Funding: IsoAstro NSF-sponsored workshop; On to the Future (Geological Society of America)
Awards: W.A. Tarr Award (Sigma Gamma Epsilon Theta Psi 2020)
Hannah Peacock
Hannah is studying organic chemistry as a PhD candidate at UC Irvine.
Project: Preservation of the last global magnetic reversal in the Mineral Mountains, UT?
Collaborators: Stefan Kirby (Utah Geological Survey); Grant Rea-Downing & Peter Lippert (Utah Paleomagnetic Center, University of Utah); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Presentations: 2018 GSA Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN link; 2019 American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida
Funding sources: The Association for Women Geoscientists (SLC Chapter); The Geological Society of America's MGPV division
Hannah is studying organic chemistry as a PhD candidate at UC Irvine.
Project: Preservation of the last global magnetic reversal in the Mineral Mountains, UT?
Collaborators: Stefan Kirby (Utah Geological Survey); Grant Rea-Downing & Peter Lippert (Utah Paleomagnetic Center, University of Utah); Brian Jicha (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Presentations: 2018 GSA Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN link; 2019 American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida
Funding sources: The Association for Women Geoscientists (SLC Chapter); The Geological Society of America's MGPV division
Jaime Vincent
Jaime teaches algebra, environmental science, and physics at the Squaw Valley Academy in Olympic Valley, California, near Lake Tahoe.
Project: Characteristics of the Lyle Spring Tuff: recycling of earlier Yellowstone eruptions?
Presentations: 2016 GSA annual meeting, Denver, CO; 2016 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT; 2016 IsoAstro Workshop; Boise, ID; 2016 Rocky Mountain GSA, Moscow, ID; 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT
Jaime graduated in May 2017.
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America
Jaime teaches algebra, environmental science, and physics at the Squaw Valley Academy in Olympic Valley, California, near Lake Tahoe.
Project: Characteristics of the Lyle Spring Tuff: recycling of earlier Yellowstone eruptions?
Presentations: 2016 GSA annual meeting, Denver, CO; 2016 GeekFest, Westminster College, UT; 2016 IsoAstro Workshop; Boise, ID; 2016 Rocky Mountain GSA, Moscow, ID; 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT
Jaime graduated in May 2017.
Funding sources: The Geological Society of America
Garret Wilcox
Garret is serving a two-year volunteer position in the PeaceCorps in Namibia. He is teaching secondary-level math.
Project: Earthquake hazards and preparedness efforts along the Wasatch Front, Utah
Collaborators: Kaitlyn Cole (education major); Quentin Coppler, Kaitlin Clements, Tianna Boyd (psychology major); Makayla Kirk (communications major); Jonathan Amburgey (Westminster College)
Presentations: 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT; 2015 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT
Garret is serving a two-year volunteer position in the PeaceCorps in Namibia. He is teaching secondary-level math.
Project: Earthquake hazards and preparedness efforts along the Wasatch Front, Utah
Collaborators: Kaitlyn Cole (education major); Quentin Coppler, Kaitlin Clements, Tianna Boyd (psychology major); Makayla Kirk (communications major); Jonathan Amburgey (Westminster College)
Presentations: 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT; 2015 Undergraduate Research Fair, Westminster College, UT
