Research
Henry Coe State Park Geology Team
Anaalicia Baiz
Russell Belleville
Carla Dumaguit
Jorge Gomez
Cameron Martin
Reza-Gene Milani
Alex Switzer
Desiree Valenzuela
This team led by Dr. Ellen Metzger, makes field observations and conducts petrographic and geochemical analyses to interpret the origin and history of volcanic rocks found in present day Henry Coe State Park. Present interpretations include evidence for back-arc setting and slab windows.
Jorge, Hollianne, and Dessi present their work at the Geological Society of America Cordilleran Section Meeting in Reno, NV
Dessi presenting her work at the SJSU College of Science Research day. Frankie listens carefully and contemplates her future career in STEM
Carla drives to microprobe at Stanford while Cameron observes in the background
Members of the COE team gather around Ellen, seated center in a black hat, to examine volcanic rocks in the park, joined by park staff!
Submarine Volcanoes
Frankie Gutierrez
Frankie is a member of the sed-volcanology lab under the direction of Dr. Ryan Portner. Frankie is searching through sediments collected from the flanks of submarine volcanoes along the mid-ocean ridge in the arctic and collecting samples of volcanic glass for fluid inclusions to reconstruct the chemistry of volcanic gasses released during eruptions
USGS: Northern California Geology
Reza-gene Milani
Reza interns at the USGS where he is part of the NorCal Geology group under the umbrella of the Earthquake Science Center. Projects include measuring fault creep, mapping new fault traces in Concord, CA, restoring marshlands in Yosemite, and dating marine terraces in the Mendocino triple junction. Reza participates in field work, collecting LIDAR surveys, lab work, and providing support in GIS products.
Earthquake Geology
Darrian Ellis-Hardin
Darrian has been working in the earthquake geology lab under the direction of Dr. Kim Blisniuk. Darrian uses cosmic nuclide dating to study the offset of sedimentary deposits and geomorphological features along the San Gregorio fault in the Bay area to better constrain fault displacement.
Veronica
Vetania
USGS Earthquake Science Center: National Strong Motion Project
Vetania Carasco Rodrigues
Veronica S. Amador (V^2)
Vetania and Veronica intern at the National Strong Motion Project, an earthquake monitoring network that records ground motion and how it affects buildings in urban communities and government infrastructure throughout the contiguous US, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Their contributions to the network include upgrading stations to meet Earthquake Early Warning standards in order for communities to receive Shake Alerts in the case of a strong earthquake event within a given distance. They’ve learned fabrication techniques, coding to analyze and extract data, have applied field mapping to coordinate field campaigns and develop a monitoring system to understand the network’s state of health.
Mass Extinction Paleoecology
Aminah Manning
Frankie Gutierrez
Dessire Valenzuela
Frankie, Aminah, Dessi have been funded by the GEOPAths award to travel to the field to collect fossils from river systems in the US. Gulf coastal plain. Back in the lab, students are paid to conduct research. They extract fossils, identify them, and reconstruct paleo ecological systems at the end Cretaceous mass extinction event. Students have made posters and presented at both both regional and national meetings and have gotten to network with research collaborators from across the world.
Their work contributes to understanding how animals can survive and even find unique opportunities to thrive in the aftermath.
Aminah in the field (in pink) with Dr. Cori Myers (UNM) seated
Frankie presenting her work at the Geological Society of America meeting in Pittsburg, PA October 2023
Aminah at the Stanford Geobiology conference presenting their research with SJSU paleo lab volunteer Page Thibodeaux
Dessi in the foreground at the microscope and Aminah and Frankie in the back of the lab