Student Research

Over the years the talented thesis students I’ve been fortunate to advise have studied a wide array of geologic questions. Many of these students are now in private and public sector jobs, as well as academia.

Michael Wucher, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2017), “Mechanisms of aqueous nickel reactivity with hydroxyapatite”, 44 pp. [PhD–Brown U., in progress]

Mark Raftrey, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2016), “Mesozoic silicic volcanism in the Goddard Pendant, Sierra Nevada: records of transition from high to low flux regime,” 61 pp. [M.Sc.–Stanford U., in progress]

Zoe Dilles, Scripps College (B.A. Thesis, 2016), “Geochronologic and Petrologic Context for Deep Crustal Metamorphic Core Complex Development, East Humboldt Range, Nevada,” 61 pp.

Anne Fulton, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, anticipated 2015), “Insights into magma evolution and archeological lithic provenance in the Islands of the Four Mountains, Alaska” [PhD–U of Oregon, in progress]

Nicoletta Browne, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, [Chemistry] 2015), “Titanite zoning as an indicator of fluid transport in calc-silicate rocks”, 69 pp. [M.Sc.–UC Santa Barbara, in progress]

Rachel Havranek, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2014), “Fluid Dynamics and Contact Metamorphism Using Scheelite in California,” 50 pp. [M.Sc.–Colorado, PhD—Colorado; in progress]

Dulcie Head, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2014), “Investigating Oscillatory Chemical Variation and Birefringence of Garnet in Fluid Rich Environments,” 80 pp. [PhD–Stanford U., in progress]

Jane Eisenberg, Scripps College (B.A. Thesis, 2014), “Structure, Composition, and Emplacement History of Orbicular Granites and Comb Layering, Sierra and Sequoia National Forests, CA,” 57 pp.

Alexa Zilberfarb, Scripps College (B.A. Thesis, 2014), “Metamorphism of Cretaceous sandstones by natural coal-fires, San Rafael Swell, Utah,” 59 pp.

Morgan Luckey, Harvey Mudd College (B.A. Thesis [Chemistry], 2014), “Characterization of Thorium in Rare Earth-rich Carbonatite at Mountain Pass, California,” 72 pp. [M.Sc.–Colorado School of Mines, in progress]

Nick Sbardellati, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis [Chemistry], 2014), “Mud and Microbes in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field,” 42 pp.

Luke Ferguson, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2013), “Miocene Powder River Volcanic Field eruptive history in the Grande Ronde Valley, Northeast Oregon,” 57 pp. [M.Sc.–Washington, 2016]

James Muller, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2013), “Origin and emplacement history of the Malapai Hill, volcanic plug, Joshua Tree National Park,” 55 pp. [M.A.–Queens College, 2016; PhD–Harvard U., in progress]

Allison Sherris, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis [Chemistry], 2013), “Contaminant metal mobility in a stream impacted by acid mine drainage, southwest Peru,” 52 pp. [PhD–Stanford U., in progress]

Adam Kinnard, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2012), “Oxygen Isotopes of ore rocks at Strawberry Mine and Kearsarge Districts—evaluating shallow hydrothermal flow in the Sierran Arc,” 47 pp.

Gabriel Romero, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2012), “Lower crustal melting in Cordilleran batholiths: insight from metamorphic garnet in the Cucamonga Terrane,” 69 pp. [MBA–Drucker School of Claremont Graduate University, 2014, presently training as  Aeromedical Evacuation Officer with the U.S. Army]

Katherine Beeler, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2010), “Hydrothermally-driven silica cementation of sandstones and conglomerates, Long Valley Caldera, CA” 87 pp. [M.Sc.–Western Washington U, 2014]

Mark Williams, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2010), “Reconstruction of Pleistocene Long Valley hydrothermal system using silica veins from the Little Hot Creek sinter, Long Valley, CA” 68 pp. [M.Sc.–UC Riverside, 2012]

Adam Curry, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2010), “Geochemical Investigation of the Red Cinder Peak area of Makushin volcano, Unalaska, AK” 76 pp. [M.Sc.–North Carolina, 2013; PhD–Université de Genève, in progress]

Hannah Dietterich, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2009), “Origin and metamorphism of the Saddlebag Lake Pendant metavolcanic rocks, Eastern Sierra Nevada,” 88 pp. [PhD–U of Oregon, 2014, presently with USGS]

Ryan Frazer, Pomona College (B.A. Thesis, 2009), “Reexamining the Shaver Intrusive Suite using U-Pb zircon geochronology and GIS,” 56 pp. [North Carolina: M.Sc. (2013); PhD (2017); now MIT]

Andrew Stocker, Claremont-McKenna College (B.A. Thesis, 2009), “Geochemistry of the Edwardsville Syenite and other igneous bodies in the Adirondack Lowlands of the Southern Grenville Province,” 46 pp.

Megan Van Ness, Harvey Mudd College (B.A. Thesis, 2009), “Determining the Magmatic History of the Grant Grove Granite pluton within the Sierra Nevada Batholith using computer-based modeling techniques,” 28 pp.

Jessica Hark, College of Wooster (B.A. Thesis, 2007), “Origins of garnet in the peraluminous granitoids found in the South Mountain batholith, Nova Scotia,” 56 pp. [M.Sc.–Kent State, 2009]

Stella Mascari, College of Wooster (B.A. Thesis, 2007), “Metamorphism of marbles in the Sequoia National Park region of the Sierra Nevada, CA,” 52 pp.

Brian Mumaw, College of Wooster (B.A. Thesis, 2007),  “Contamination history of the Boot Lake granodiorite, Nova Scotia, Canada,” 64 pp.

Kamilla Fellah, College of Wooster (Junior Independent Study, 2007), “Metamorphism and melting of biotite schists in the Sierra Nevada batholith, California,” 32 pp. [M.Sc.–Washington State U, 2011]

Jean Sloan, College of Wooster (Junior Independent Study, 2007), “Mineralogy of ash layers formed during coal-seam combustion in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming,” 23 pp.

Brian Mumaw, College of Wooster (Junior Independent Study, 2006), “Stable isotope geochemistry of a graphite-bearing pegmatite, Adirondack Mountains, NY”, 27 pp.

Jessica Hark, College of Wooster (Junior Independent Study, 2006), “Origins of garnet in peraluminous granitoids found in the South Mountain Batholith, Nova Scotia”, 25 pp. [M.Sc.–Kent State, 2009]

Hans Hinke, University of Wisconsin (B.S. Thesis, 2003) “Oxygen isotope geochemistry of the Dinkey Dome granite, Sierra Nevada batholith,” 30 pp. [M.Sc.–Geological Engineering, Wisconsin, 2003)