Educator. Mentor. Earth Scientist.
I’m a volcano-lover with a passion for teaching, undergraduate research, and DEI.
My research career began in the deep sea, where I studied mid-ocean ridges in the Pacific. Soon after, I started working in Iceland, first as an analogue for deep sea volcanism, then with a focus on volcano-ice interactions. Since then, my research has taken me to other locations that experienced rift-related volcanism, including Pennsylvania and the American Southwest. I use a variety of geochemical techniques in my research and established Wooster’s X-ray lab for geochemistry. X-ray methods have an incredible array of diverse applications, and I have recently become interested in using our lab to analyze soils on interdisciplinary research projects.
At Wooster, the premier college for mentored undergraduate research, students are my primary collaborators. Whether they are my summer researchers, I.S. mentees, research assistants, or just taking one of my courses, I strive to create high quality, inclusive research experiences for all. I have a scholarly interest in undergraduate research mentoring and have specifically selected my service and leadership roles on campus and through organizations like the Keck Geology Consortium, the Council on Undergraduate Research, and the Howard Hughs Medical Institute so that I can learn and promote best practices in undergraduate research.
Outside of my career, I love spending time with my dogs, hiking, traveling, and reading.
