I participated in the Meteor Crater Field Camp and Research program under Dr. David Kring. We hiked around the rim, into the crater itself, and onto the ejecta blanket. During this time, we learned about the crater’s history and the initial skepticism regarding its impact origin, as it was originally thought to be a volcanic crater like others in the region. We also studied the differences between simple and complex craters.
For our research project, we analyzed five breccia outcrops outside the crater to determine whether they were part of the original fallback breccia or later alluvial deposits. This work was presented as a 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) Extended Abstract #1915.
In April 2024, I served as the geologist for Crew 297, an analog astronaut team at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. I participated in eight EVAs, totaling 19 hours in a spacesuit weighing over 30 pounds, and led most of the EVAs I participated in, as the other crew members were trained engineers and I was the trained geologist.
It was interesting to experience being psychologically cut off from the rest of the world. Since I am usually busy with research and community service, I found the two weeks completely relaxing after instructing everyone not to contact me. The trip was significantly less stressful than my normal life, even when I strained my back or when the spacesuit’s fan malfunctioned.
My research project involved testing the practicality of using a portable Gamma-Ray Spectrometer in the field as an astronaut. On one EVA, we climbed a knoll approximately 50 meters high, which I had to ascend using one hand while carrying the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer. The original report can be found here.
I participated in a deep-sea hydrothermal expedition aboard the RV Kilo Moana under Dr. Chris German, aimed at studying the underwater volcano Kama‘ehuakanaloa in Hawai'i, organized by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. My role included conducting a small research project on the rocks and sediments near the volcano, serving as the assistant science communicator, assisting in cleaning and assembling Dr. Jeff Seewald's Isobaric Gas‑Tight samplers, performing alkaline titrations on the moving boat, and updating the titration Excel sheet.
Unfortunately, the expedition was abruptly cut short due to issues with the boat's generators after just one day of sampling with the ROV Jason. Nevertheless, the brief time aboard the RV Kilo Moana provided valuable insights into the hard work, unpredictability, and, dare I say, luck involved in oceanography.
As a requirement for my B.S. in Geology, I had to complete a field camp lasting at least three weeks. Since my university did not offer a field camp at the time, I enrolled in a program at the South Dakota School of Mines, which offered a three-week camp in Ecuador (two weeks) and the Galápagos Islands (one week), focusing on volcanology.
Having grown up in Kansas and spent most of my education there, I had become tired of studying and working with sedimentary rocks. My university did not offer volcanology courses, but I had always been fascinated by the subject, so I was determined to find a way to take this course.
Additionally, I had never been out of the country, and I had dreamed of visiting the Galápagos Islands since second grade, when I first learned that penguins travel from Antarctica to the islands. In seventh grade, I learned about Darwin’s trip and how he developed the theory of evolution, which made me even more determined to go. This opportunity seemed like the perfect way to combine my love of volcanology with my dream of seeing the Galápagos.
During the first week of camp, we characterized igneous rocks and created detailed stratigraphic columns of the stratovolcano Tungurahua in Ecuador. The next week, we worked at Cotopaxi National Park, mapping lava fields and constructing stratigraphic columns. In the final week of field camp, we characterized cinder cones and mapped lava tunnels in the Galápagos Islands.