Teaching and Student Research

Undergraduate Student Research Projects Advised

Students who have completed and presented research projects with me via research credit or class projects: 

50. Jillian Doherty

Identification of microplastics extracted from the stomachs of largemouth bass from the Mid-Atlantic region using transmission FTIR microscopy. 

49. Ashley Holsinger and

48. Kristen Malosky 

Evaluating the decomposition of mineral museum vivianite specimens using visible light, longwave UV light, and heat experiments. 

47. Sherrie Gies and

46. Michael Buchanan

Petrographic and spectroscopic analyses of textures in meteorite NWA 5480 from 4 Vesta 

46. Michael Buchanan and

45. Colleen Mulligan

Petrologic and geochemical investigation of CAMP dikes from the Blue Ridge and Valley and Ridge in Central VA 

44. Anna Miscione and 

43. Meaghan Burke

The role of volatiles in magma-mixing driven eruptions, Chaos Crags, CA

42. Christina Gedz

The role of identity as a prediction of confidence as a geoscientist (Angel Garcia advisor, myself as co-advisor) 

41. Rachel Rappoccio

Does OH in quartz and plagioclase track water content in the Yellowstone megaeruption?

40. Anna Ruefer

Partition coefficient of water in the Bishop Tuff and Yellowstone megaeruptions

39. Katherine Whitbred

Creating and online learning technical diagrams for analytical methods in geoscience

38. Mark Peale

Creating online interactive diagrams for laboratory instruction

37. Shannon Van Tol

Developing classroom rock kits and instructional modules to address K-12 Earth Science Standards of Learning

36. Gillian Greenberg

Age determination of a felsic dike in the Ivy Creek Area, Albemarle County

35. Ceanna Adams

Developing a protocol for filming instructional videos in the laboratory/ Assessing student learning from online materials

34. Rose McGowan

Developing a protocol for BSE image mapping entire thin sections using a Phenom XL SEM

33. Adam Nordling and

32. Ian Hanss

Volatile history recorded in the Bishop Tuff megaeruption, CA

31. Liz McTaggart

Volatile history recorded in the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff megaeruption, Yellowstone; Skarn fluid history recorded in zoned raspberry garnet from Lake Jaco, Mexico 

30. Mercer Parker

Textural analyses of amphibolites and schist from the Central Virginia Seismic Zone: constraining the Paleozoic tectonic framework in a seismically active region

29. Rachel Hoar

Distribution of water content in pyroxenes from Eocene basaltic volcanoes in Virginia and Bermuda

28. Chris Gates

Determining pressure and temperature conditions of lower crustal xenoliths from Augusta County, Virginia, using ternary feldspars; Skarn fluid history recorded in zoned raspberry garnet from Lake Jaco, Mexico

27. Thomas Farrell

Eruptions triggered by magma mixing at Mount Jefferson, Cascade Range, Oregon 

26. Greg Brennan and 

25. Brendan Soles

Variable Water Concentrations in the Asthenospheric and Lithospheric Mantle Underneath the Eastern United States 

     24. James Shada and

23. Brandon Cohick 

Structural controls on emplacement of Eocene dikes and plugs in western Highland County, VA (Steve Whitmeyer, co-advisor) 

22. Jacob Helsley 

Ultrahigh temperatures recorded in lower crustal xenoliths from the Shenandoah Valley, VA 

21. Nick Rossi

U-Pb geochronology of Grenvillian and Late Jurassic lower crustal xenoliths in the Shenandoah Valley, VA

20. Michael Bulas

Timing and eruption mechanism of felsic Eocene dikes in the Valley and Ridge Province of VA and WV 

19. Doug Jones 

Depth and temperature of the lithospheric mantle beneath Highland County, VA 

18. Derek Guzmán 

Evidence for a two-stage eruption at Trimble Knob, an Eocene volcanic plug in Highland County, VA 

17. Amanda Wright 

Petrographic analysis of lower crustal xenoliths from Augusta County, VA 

16. Sarah O’Reilly 

Melting the Eocene mantle under Mole Hill, VA: LA-ICPMS analysis of melt inclusions in olivine xenocrysts; JMU countertops database project 

15. Zachary Kiracofe

The origin of sandstone xenoliths from Mole Hill, VA

14. Victoria Stempniewicz

Water concentrations in mantle xenoliths, Mole Hill, VA

13. Brittany Sacco

Thermobarometry of mantle xenocrysts, Mole Hill, VA

12. EJ Estes

Textural and chemical analysis of metal landmine parts from Cambodia and Jordan

11. Cameron Noon

Eruption and degassing of lava flows from Mt. Jefferson, OR

10. Adam Wenger

Geochemical and petrographic analysis of sandstone xenoliths from Mole Hill, VA

9. Alexis Thompson

Testing the OH-in-rutile oxybarometer, Roseland Anorthosite, VA

8. Christopher Sutherland

Age and petrogenesis of a felsic porphyry dike, Ben Levy, Ireland

7. James Gehman

Student perceptions of geologic time using a 45.6-foot-long timeline

6. Hannah Shepherd

Magmatic water in Yellowstone mega-eruptions; Zr-in-rutile thermometry of sapphires from San Bernardino Co, CA

5. Kathy Bordwell

Geochemical analysis of Mn oxide stream deposits from Skyline Mine, TN

4. Chris Mauthe

Textural characterization of Mn oxide stream deposits from Skyline Mine, TN

3. Jessica Yakob

Trace element chemistry and OH in rutile from mantle xenoliths, West Africa

2. Gina Rogers, UCLA

Trace element chemistry and OH in rutile from mantle xenoliths, West Africa

1. Miguel Cruz, UCLA

Trace element chemistry and OH in rutile from mantle xenoliths, West Africa