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Kimberly Lau, Ph.D.Assistant Professor
kvlau [at] psu.edu Postdoc, University of California, Riverside Ph.D., Stanford University B.S., Yale University Read more about Kim here. |
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Chelsie Bowman, Ph.D.(she/her)
Postdoctoral Scholar cvb5950 [at] psu.edu Ph.D. in Geology, Florida State University M.S. in Geology, Florida State University B.S. in Environmental Science & B.A. in Environmental Studies, Florida State University Earth history and the natural world have always fascinated me, but my love for geology began with my first field excursion - a weekend trip to central Alabama during my first undergraduate geology course. Since then I have had many opportunities to study and explore the geologic past. As an M.S. student I used stable carbon isotopes of fossilized tooth enamel to reconstruct the diets and habitats of middle Miocene (8-12 Ma) mammals. During my Ph.D. I used a variety of geochemical and sedimentary proxies to reconstruct ancient ocean redox chemistry on local and global scales during the late Silurian Lau/Kozlowskii extinction event (~425 Ma). Now as a postdoc I will be researching nutrient cycling and redox geochemistry during the early to middle Permian in the Phosphoria Basin using geochemical proxies and modeling. I am passionate about geoscience education and outreach, as well as the inclusion of underrepresented groups (LGBTQ+, BIPOC) in the earth sciences. |
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Watsawan (Fai) Chanchai/she-her-hers/
Graduate student wzc5325 [at] psu.edu B.A. with distinction in Geology from Colorado College, 2020 I was born and raised in Phatthalung, Thailand where food and weather are incomparably HOT. After college, I found out that rocks are COOL (-est), and thus I commit to becoming a life-long geology explorer. I am interested in redox proxies, fossils, and biogeochemical cycles to understand life evolution and chemical perturbations of oceans throughout Earth history. My ongoing research focuses on geochemical analyses to interpret paleoenvironmental conditions during the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition (~580–530 Ma). I am enthusiastic about science education and social justice leading me to advocate DEI for underrepresented groups, especially women in STEM. |
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Kaitlin TaylorGraduate student
kft5240 [at] psu.edu B.S., Central Connecticut State University From a young age I was fascinated with the natural world and exploring the connections between the climate, plants, and landscape. While living in the Colorado mountains, I gained an even greater appreciation for geology and the stories the rocks could provide. My undergraduate research focused on the geochemistry of a lamprophyre dike intruding into CAMP basalts in the Connecticut valley as well as soil chemistry, lacustrine sediments, and the geomorphology surrounding a Gilbert-type delta at the southern end of glacial Lake Hitchcock. I am interested in using geochemistry to uncover information about our climate in both the present and the past and I am excited to begin studying Li isotopes in brachiopod shells across the Permian-Triassic boundary to better understand the 10 million year delay in the recovery from the mass extinction. |
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Brianna McMaster SmithUndergraduate researcher
bmcmast1@uwyo.edu B.S. candidate, University of Wyoming Wyoming’s unique landscapes, from the Teton Mtns. and Yellowstone National Park, to the Hartville Uplift where my family owns a historical Geologist’s cabin, serve as the inspiration that led me to study the field of Geology at the University of Wyoming. My undergraduate research investigates trace metals and paleo-biogeochemistry of the Permian Phosphoria Fm which partially lies in Western Wyoming. Following completion of my B.S., I will pursue graduate school (2021). I am also interested in botany, ecology, and data science; I enjoy photography, American Sign Language, and camping. |