Possible Mentors and Projects for 2013
The following individuals are potential mentors for IDES program participants in 2012-2013
Specialty
Dissolved gases, isotope biogeochemistry, marine biological pump, and marine carbon cycle
Education
1999-B.S. in Environmental Biology and Management, University of California, Davis
2003-M.S. in Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
2007-Ph.D. in Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
The student would participate in a project focused on understanding biogeochemical carbon cycling in Arctic shelf environments. The student would learn how to collect, analyze, and interpret dissolved gas and isotopic tracer data useful in constraining marine ecosystem production, and work with an interdisciplinary science team studying various aspects of Arctic margin oceanography, including the sensitivity to climate- and ocean acidification-related change. *Potential to participate in a 25 day Arctic research cruise is a possibility.*
Ph.D. Oceanography, Oregon State University, 1992
B.Sc. Chemistry, Stockton State College, 1986
Interests: My research focuses on ocean biogeochemistry and understanding how chemical signals in marine sediments are preserved in the geologic record. Although my research centers primarily on modern chemical processes in the ocean, it also includes studies on past climate and marine chemical cycles. I have interests in a variety of elements and their isotopes with recent research including work on Fe, Mn, Mo, U, Ge, the rare earth elements, as well as other elements.
Current Research: Our current research involves understanding the chemistry of marine sediments and how these sediments may ultimately be used to understand ocean chemistry. We are currently interested in understanding relationships between iron and organic carbon chemistry in marine sediments. We are also interested in understanding cycling of the rare earth elements within marine sediments and how this cycling might impact the geologic record. The candidate selected for this position will gain experience in the laboratory conducting a variety of chemical extractions and analyses on marine sediments. This work would include sample preparation and use of analytical equipment (e.g., ICP-OES, ICP-MS). There may also be an opportunity for the student to participate in an upcoming research cruise.
Ed Brook
PhD MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Chemical Oceanography 1993
M.S. University of Montana, Geology, 1998
B.S. Duke University, Geology,1985
Interests: My research uses geochemistry to study past climate change. Most of our focus these days is on the history of atmospheric greenhouse gases and climate recorded in polar ice cores. We do field work in polar regions and build and operate analytical instruments for gas measurements.
Current Research: Our current work investigates how and why greenhouse gases varied over roughly the last 120,000 years. We are studying carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in a range of projects including relatively recent times when early human activity affected the atmosphere to the last ice age, when climate and greenhouse gases changed repeatedly and abruptly on a variety of time scales. Student researchers could work on a variety of projects involving measuring and interpreting gases in ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica.
B. A., University of Colorado, 1982
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography, 1987
Interests: Frontal instability processes; coastal ocean dynamics; eastern boundary currents and their associated jets and eddies; flow-topography interactions.
Current Research: High-resolution observation of jets and eddies over the continental shelf and slope and in an eastern boundary current region; modeling of wind- and buoyancy-forced coastal circulation.
- Coastal Ocean Advances in Shelf Transport (COAST)http://damp.oce.orst.edu/coast/
- Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics Northeast Pacific Program (GLOBEC-NEP) http://damp.coas.oregonstate.edu/globec/nep/
- Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) http://www.piscoweb.org/
- Summer course on "Coastal Physical Oceanography and Marine Ecosystems," UC Santa Cruz, 19 June to 8 July 2006 http://www.piscoweb.org/courses/ucsc
- Ocean Surface Drifters Released off the Oregon Coasthttp://diana.coas.oregonstate.edu/drift/
- Ocean Observatory Planning: Ocean Research Interactive Observatory Networks (ORION) http://www.orionocean.org/
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WSU Vancouver
My research is broadly concerned with the ecology of marine and estuarine zooplankton and fish, and spans the sub-disciplines of behavior, population biology, community ecology and ecosystem dynamics. My research often has an applied aspect to it, touching upon such areas as conservation biology, restoration ecology, fisheries oceanography, and global change. I employ a wide variety of approaches to "doing science", including field (observational), modeling and experimental techniques. Locations of my current or recent projects include estuaries of the northeast Pacific (CA, OR, WA, and BC), Georges Bank/Northwest Atlantic, the Arabian Sea, the Florida Keys, and the Bering Sea. These projects are funded by a wide range of federal and state agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and the CALFED Bay/Delta Program.
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Kerry Carlin-Morgan
I have an MED and PhD in science education with wildlife conservation minor. Currently, I'm the Director of Public Programs at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. I've taught grades 3-8 and managed college student interns and graduate projects at the University of Georgia and Oregon State University.
The K-12 Ocean Education Intern will support initiatives to incorporate oceans into the Lincoln County School District’s K-12 curriculum. Under the direction of the School Liaison/Partnership Coordinator, the K-12 Ocean Education Intern will be responsible for developing materials that support teachers’ content understanding of the ocean, ocean ecosystems and the ocean’s role in Earth Systems; compiling instructional materials for marine education; and, supporting the professional development of K-12 teachers
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I use the volcanologists toolbox (Petrology, Geochemistry, Physical Volcanology, Geochronology, Remotely Sensed data, Geophysics) and collaborate with lots of smart people (like our VIPER group at OSU) to address volcanic problems that intrigue me. Most of the questions I address start in the field - nature is a mystery, volcanology rocks! Studies my students and I are currently working on emphasize magmatism and volcanism in volcanic arcs, Physical Volcanology and Petrology of Explosive Volcanic Eruptions, Caldera (super)volcanism and the volcano-plutonic connection, at all different scales from the global to micron-scale. Basically if something piques our interest, we find ways of addressing those issues. My philosophy for students is to explore interesting volcanic problems in the field and then use the volcanologists "toolbox" to solve those problems - an approach I call "Volcano Forensics" - a sort of CSI apporach to volcanic processes.
The broader impacts of our work relate to Volcanic hazards, Volcanism and Climate, and Earth Science Education and Outreach VolcanoWorld (http://volcano.oregonstate.edu). I am also committed to undergraduate research and Incearsing Diversity in the Earth Sciences (http://ides.science.oregonstate.edu).
I have recently formalized my interest in Planetary Geology by using the Puna of the Central Andes as an analog for Mars. Projects on the Medusae Fossae Formation on Mars and the Origin of Gravel Megripples are now underway.
Come and join the fun!
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1995. Ph.D., Physical Oceanography, Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods HoleOceanographic Institution
1989. M.S., Physical Oceanography, Texas A&M University
1987. B.S., Physics, Texas A&M Univ.
Interests: Cross-shelf exchange processes, the analysis and prediction of parcel transport, air-sea interaction, and the effect of coastal ocean circulation on nutrients and chlorophyll. I analyze physical oceanographic and meteorological data (primarily moored time series and surface drifters) and apply analytical models.
Current Research: The effects of spatially variable wind forcing on coastal upwelling and the nutrient and chlorophyll response (first link), the Columbia river plume off the Oregon and Washington shelves (second link), and the development of coastal ocean observing systems (third link).
- Wind-driven coastal upwelling off northern California (Wind Events and Shelf Transport): http://www.ccs.ucsd.edu/coop/west/
- The Columbia River plume (River Influences on Shelf Ecosystems): http://www.ocean.washington.edu/rise/index.htm
- Ocean observing systems (Oregon Coastal Ocean Observing System): http://www.orcoos.org
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BA, Humboldt State University (Geology), 1980
BS, Humboldt State University (Geologic Oceanography), 1980
MS, Oregon State University (Structural Geology), 1990
PhD, Oregon State University (Structural Geology), 1994
Interests: Subduction earthquakes; mechanics of oblique subduction, accretion and erosion of active margins; seafloor imaging, mapping, and visualization techniques; seafloor drilling technology
Current Research: Gas-hydrate-gas-fluid-sediment dynamics using drilling, high-resolution seismic reflection, sidescan sonar, and submersible observations; active oblique faulting and block rotation in the Cascadia subduction zone; relationship of forearc deformation to earthquake potential in convergent margins; investigation of the earthquake potential of the Cascadia subduction zone; super-scale mass wasting and erosion of the southern Oregon margin.
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BS, Royal Military Coll, Kingston Canada (Honors Mathematics and Physics), 1972
PhD, Dalhousie University (Physical Oceanography), 1979
Research Interests: Beach processes; measurements of near-shore waves and currents; models of sandbar generation and morphology; application of remote sensing to near-shore processes, large-scale coastal behavior.
Current Research: Polarimetric Imaging of Nearshore Waves. The Coastal Imaging Lab has a long history of developing new methods for measuring the dynamics of beaches based on signatures from optical imagery. A recent addition to this toolbox has been the exploitation of optical polarization in images. Because the reflection of light from a wavy ocean surface introduces polarization that is tangent to the surface wave slopes, measurement of those angles of polarization allows estimation of wave field slopes which can be integrated to yield wave heights. This project will involve a mix of lab testing for performance characteristics of the camera system as well as analysis of polarimetric data from a camera deployed on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The work requires familiarity with Matlab.
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1993 M.Sc. in the Earth Sciences, Free University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
1998 Ph.D. in the Earth Sciences, Free University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Interests: Hotspots and their associated volcanic chains have been amongst the most convincing observations supporting the plate tectonic theory and have fundamental implications for understanding past plate motions and mantle geodynamics. My research encompasses many aspects in this broad field, ranging from 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope geochemistry of hotspot volcanism to the modeling of absolute plate motions and the possible motion of hotspots. It now can been shown that motions between hotspots are necessary for explaining the observed ages in seamount trails and that lithospheric extension may be important as a secondary process in other cases.
Current Research:
- Programming Earth's Chemical Differentation using TnT2000. The geochemical evolution of the Earth is determined by the differentiation of the mantle due to partial melting at hotspots, mid-oceanic ridges and island arcs, the formation of continental crust, and the recycling of oceanic and continental crust and lithosphere at subduction zones. Second order differentiation processes may include metasomatism of the mantle, alteration of the oceanic crust and chemical erosion of the continental crust. Geochemical modeling approaches tend to focus on a relatively small number of these processes and they tend to be restrictive in their model boundary conditions and in the number of parameters (elements, isotope ratios) which they consider. This incomplete geochemical modeling has significantly limited our understanding of the Earth as a dynamic and geochemical system. These limitations led to the development of the Terra Nova Toolbox (TnT2000) hoping to provide a flexible box-modeling environment for exploring both simple and sophisticated geochemical scenarios including a variety of chemical and physical processes that shape the Earth. This toolbox is programmed in Matlab and so far has been used to explore simple geochemical scenarios for the Earth's evolution. During the REU program of 2009 we hope to expand TnT2000 to incorporate subduction zone magmatic processes (strongly influenced by significant amounts of water in the subducting slab) that act as an effective filter for the return of materials and elements to the Earth's mantle. This requires a good basic understanding of programming in Matlab in combination with course work in geochemistry and a desire for modeling large scale Earth processes. TnT2000 will be made available at http://earthref.org/tools/tnt2000/ where interested researchers, students and teachers will be able to download this tool for their projects and use in their classrooms.
- Exploring Seamount Morphologies using Cyberinfrastructure for Seamounts. Seamounts are prominent volcanic features on the ocean floor that provide us with important insights to geology, geochemistry, geophysics and paleoclimate. Based on satellite altimetry data it is estimated that more than 200,000 seamounts taller than 500 m exist on the ocean floors. However, most of these never have been surveyed, sampled or studied. The Seamount Catalog at http://earthref.org/databases/SC/ was established to make accessible the diverse set of seamount data that is available today, including information on their morphologies. In this online catalog each seamount is described in terms of its location, basic morphological features, the types of data available, a series of basic bathymetry maps, processed grid files and original multibeam data. The data objects are extensively described in terms of metadata allowing for searches by location (lat/lon), region name, seamount name, sample name or reference. Currently there are more than 2,000 seamounts in the data holding. During the REU program of 2009 we hope to carry out a systematic morphological analysis of this entire data holding using software already programmed in Matlab. This requires familarity with programming in Matlab, a good knowledge of working in Microsoft Excel and some course work in (marine) geology. With the results from this analysis we can now start to explore the differences and similarities in morphology for these seamounts and relate this to the volcanic process that form the seamounts, tectonic structures in the oceanic plates on top of which the seamounts are emplaced, but also to biodiversity patterns at the seamounts themselves.
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Interests: Oceanic data assimilation, coastal ocean modeling, wind-driven circulation, internal tides, mixing on the shelf
Current Research: Data Assimilation in Shelf Circulation Models
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Carly is the Program Director of Energize Corvallis, a Corvallis Environmental Center program that works in collaboration with the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition. She is an interdisciplinary researcher, writer, and community organizer who specializes in climate change, residential energy use, and environmentally responsible behavior. Among other projects, she is currently developing the the Community Carbon Challenge, which is a neighborhood-based approach to reducing energy use through no-cost and low-cost actions. The goals of the Community Carbon Challenge are to engage a broad base of residents, create community around energy issues, and establish a base of energy-aware residents who will then be invited to participate in other Corvallis energy programs.
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A.B., Physics, Harvard College 1987
PhD, Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington 1994 1970. B.A., Mathematics and geology, San Francisco State University
Current Research: Oregon Climate Change Research Institute (OCCRI) is partnering with University of Washington, Oxford University, and the UK Hadley Centre to perform massive ensemble regional modeling using volunteers' donated computer time. Unlike previous regional modeling, this massive ensemble will provide unprecedented statistical as well as spatial detail, and the outputs are intended to be societally useful, for example, extreme daily precipitation which decision-makers demand for flood planning. This project will give a student the opportunity to examine some of these cutting-edge simulations. Several topics will be available.
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BS, Stanford University (Physics), 1981
MS, Oregon State University (Mathematics), 1987
PhD, Oregon State University (Physical Oceanography), 1987
Interests: Fluid dynamics and thermodynamics of the ocean and atmosphere; coastal and arctic meteorology; coastal, mesoscale and large-scale ocean circulation; instabilities and nonlinear dynamics of geophysical fluids.
Current Research: Coastal ocean and coastal ocean-atmosphere modeling, arctic meteorology, air-sea interaction and mode water formation, instability and predictability, mathematical methods for large-scale ocean circulation theory, and the linear and nonlinear dynamics of ocean eddies and planetary waves.
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Diploma (Physics), University of Bremen, Germany, 1996
PhD, Climate & Environmental Physics, University of Bern, Switzerland, 1999
Research Interests: Using and developing numerical (computer) models of the Earth'sclimate system in order to understand past and present changes. Interactions between the different components of the climate system such as the ocean, atmosphere, cryosphere and biosphere.
Current Research: Interactions between climate, the ocean circulation and the marine ecosystem and carbon cycle. Rapid climate change associated with reorganisation of the ocean's thermohaline circulation during the last glacial period.
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BSc, Brown University (Geology, Physics, Mathematics), 1979
MA, Cambridge University (St. Edmund's College), 1995
PhD, University of Washington (Geophysics), 1986
Interests: Physical, chemical, and geomicrobiological influences on sea floor hydrothermal processes; geophysical inverse theory, image reconstruction, and time-series analysis; tectono-volcanic, solid Earth, and oceanic tidal influences on subseafloor hydrology; instrumentation development; long-term multidisciplinary ocean observations.
Current Research: I oversee the National Science Foundation's EarthScope Magnetotelluric (MT) Program. MT is a powerful geophysical method that uses measurements of electric and magnetic fields at the Earth's surface to create three dimensional images of the variation of the electrical properties of the Earth's crust and mantle. MT and seismic methods are highly complementary; by combining electrical and seismic images, Earth Scientists are able to constrain the variation of rock type, temperature, amount of melt and fluids (water/oil/gas) distributed in the subsurface, and ultimate use these quantities to put important constraints on the evolution and present makeup of the crust and mantle, as well as to evaluate natural resources and natural hazards. My lab is responsible for operating both a permanent network of MT stations that spans the USA, and also a movable network of temporary stations that is systematically sweeping across the entire country. In 2011 we will be operating mainly in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. There are opportunities for undergraduates to participate in laboratory preparations, to learn the ropes about MT instruments and field data processing, and to take part in actual field work operations. Our lab has also been designated by NSF as the National Geoelectromagnetic Facility, and students can get involved in testing newly developed geophysical instrumentation, and also learning how to use our massively parallel (3000 processor core) high performance computing system to develop 3D models of the Earth's interior. Student interests can range from any of geology, chemistry, physics, natural resources/field work, and engineering and computer sciences .
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PhD, University of California, San Diego (Scripps Institution of Oceanography), 2004
BS, Harvey Mudd College (physics), 1996
Research Interests: Climate dynamics; general circulation of the atmosphere; interactions between radiative transfer and the dynamics of the atmosphere and ocean; climate modeling
Current Research: Comparison of physical feedbacks (i.e., cloud feedbacks, ice-albedo feedbacks, and water vapor feedbacks) in different state-of-the-art computer models of the earth's climate
These feedbacks amplify or damp a climate response to changes in greenhouse gases or aerosols, and thus they influence the temperature change. The feedbacks appear to depend on the model configuration (for example, the details of ocean heat uptake or transport) as well as the specific forcing applied to the system. I have already begun these comparisons, but there is a huge amount of data available from simulations performed for the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. An REU student could extend these comparisons to new scenarios and sets of models. I have my own linux cluster, so there is also the potential to develop model experiments to test a climate sensitivity hypothesis. Regardless of the project, strong computer skills are a must. Students will need to know how to program (at least something like MATLAB) and be very comfortable in a UNIX/linux environment.
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PhD (Dr. rer. nat.), University of Bayreuth (Micrometeorology), Bayreuth, Germany, 2005
MS (Dipl. Geooek.), University of Bayreuth (Geoecology), Bayreuth, Germany, 2001
Research Interests: Atmospheric turbulence, atmosphere-vegetation interaction, mixing in tall canopies (organised motion), transport in weak-wind stable boundary-layers, dynamics of the lower atmospheric boundary layer, trace gas exchange, ecosystem responses to climate change and feedback mechanisms, carbon-water coupling, acoustic remote sensing (SODAR-RASS), instrumentation
Current Research: Current Research - Field test and evaluation of new state-of-the-art greenhouse gas flux analyzer.
We will test a new analyzer prototype measuring the climate relevant greenhouse gases of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in the air several times a second. Measuring methane concentrations at a high frequency suitable for flux measurements is challenging and a cutting edge research topic, so be among the first to see results. In addition to evaluating sensor performance, the CO2 and CH4 emissions will be compared across contrasting ecosystems in Oregon, specifically a Douglas Fir stand in the Coast Range, a Ponderosa Pine stand East of the Cascades in the Metolius area, and potentially also in a wetland area close to Corvallis. Results will be compared to and interpreted in concert with data sampled concurrently by established analyzers, so this is a chance to collect first-hand experience with a broad range of modern environmental sensors. The work will involve traveling to field sites in Oregon, assisting in setup/maintenance/ calibration/troubleshooting of the field equipment, data analysis with existing tools for spectral and time series analysis, and contributing to the final technical report, which will be published. If you enjoy field work, can work independently or with little supervision after initial training, have basic knowledge in handling gases and electronics, and already worked with Matlab, we would love to get you involved in this exiting research project!
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BS, University of California, Davis (Food Science & Technology), 1981
MS, University of Washington (Atmospheric Sciences), 1988
PhD, University of Washington (Atmospheric Sciences), 1992
Research Interests: Aerosol-cloud interactions, climate, marine aerosols, aerosol and cloud physics measurement.
Current Research: A variety of projects are possible, using data from aircraft sampling off the coast of Africa, Chile, in the Asian plume over the Pacific, and over the United States. To investigate how pollution affects clouds and climate, relationships between cloud microphysical properties (drop or ice crystal size and concentration) and aerosol particle size, concentration and chemistry will be examined. Programming skills with a knowledge of Fortran, C, Matlab or IGOR are highly desirable. Projects involving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are also available for those with mechanical engineering backgrounds.
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2008, Ph.D. University of Maryland (Biological Oceanography)
2002, M.Sc. University of Connecticut (Biological Oceanography)
1999, B.Sc. St. John's University, NY (Environmental Science)
Research Interests: Ocean Acidification Impacts on Shellfish, and Benthic Ecology and Biogeochemistry.
Current Research: Dissolution dynamics of oyster shell in Oregon estuaries. Oyster shell provides critical habitat for recruitment of new individuals to the population. However, little is known about the the lifetime of oyster shell in estuaries and the critical thresholds of population size, recruitment rates, and environmental conditions that ensure that the rate of new shell accretion exceeds loss. The project would entail measuring rates of shell dissolution and quantifying physical and geochemical characteristics of shell material.
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BA, The College of Wooster (Geology), 1981
MS, University of Georgia (Geology), 1984
PhD, University of Washington (Oceanography), 1990
Research Interests: Interdependence between sedimentological and biological processes in the marine environment; foraging ecology of deposit feeders; continental shelf processes.
Current Research: The delivery and fate of particulate organic carbon on active continental margins. This research is part of a large project exploring the source-to-sink transport of particulate organic carbon along the US West Coast. The student will participate in a 12-day cruise on the RV Wecoma during which sediment cores (box, kasten and piston) will be collected offshore of several major rivers from central Oregon to central California. Image processing of digital x-radiographs will be used to develop a record of flood stratigraphy over the past several centuries that can potentially be related to hydroclimatic forcing (e.g., ENSO, Pacific Decadal oscillation).