Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences research in the department focuses on the fundamental controls on environmental and geologic process, with strengths such as:

Geochemistry
Mineralogy & Petrology
Hydrogeology
Geomicrobiology
Planetary Science & Exploration
Environmental Science

In addition, the Earth Sciences have strong links with the Environmental Engineering focus area.

Research and teaching address a range of highly-relevant social issues, including:

the fate and transport of surface, soil, and groundwater contaminants
the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear forensics
planetary-scale geochemical processes
supervolcanoes
biogeochemical cycling of the elements
natural and engineered nanoparticles
global climate change

Integrating advanced laboratory, field, and modeling approaches, Earth Sciences research in the department is highly quantitative and multidisciplinary. There are opportunities for Earth Science majors to undertake research projects with a faculty member. Students are encouraged to contact the individual faculty members below to see what research opportunities exist in particular topics. Majoring in the Earth Sciences opens up a wide range of career choices, as demonstrated by the varied research and teaching subjects currently being pursued by the faculty. Information about careers in the Earth Sciences can be found at: http://www.americangeosciences.org/workforce

Core Faculty

	Melissa Berke Assistant Professor Ph.D. University of Minnesota, 2011 Molecular paleoclimatology and paleoenvironmental change; Organic and stable isotope biogeochemistry; Paleolimnology and paleoceanography; Tropical climatology and monsoonal systems; Compound specific isotope analysis for paleoecological reconstructions.
	Peter Burns Henry J. Massman Professor Ph.D. University of Manitoba, Canada, 1994 Environmental mineralogy; mineralogy and crystallography; mineral crystal structures and crystal chemistry; mineral structural energetics; mineral paragenesis; nuclear waste disposal
	Jeremy Fein Professor and Director of the Center for Environmental Science and Technology Ph.D. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 1989 Geomicrobiology; Aqueous environmental geochemistry; Experimental studies of the effects of bacteria on water-rock interactions; Application of chemical thermodynamics to model bacteria-water-rock systems; Metal-organic complexation studies of environmental and geological interest. Bacteria co-exist with minerals in near-surface geologic systems. We are investigating not only how bacteria influence mineralization, but also their influence on mineral dissolution and contaminant adsorption and transport in the subsurface. We use a range of approaches, from wet chemistry experiments to x-ray absorption spectroscopy to molecular dynamics modeling.
	Amy Hixon Assistant Professor Ph.D., Clemson University, 2013 Environmental radiochemistry; actinide chemistry; geochemistry; geochemical reaction modeling; contaminant fate and transport; nuclear fuel cycle; nuclear forensics.
	Clive Neal Professor Ph.D. University of Leeds, United Kingdom, 1986 Environmental effects of heavy metal pollution; petrogenesis of Large Igneous Provinces; ICP-MS analytical techniques; evolution of the Moon; evolution of Mars; geochemical and environmental consequences of plate interactions; origin of the Solar System.
	Antonio Simonetti Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies Ph.D. Carleton University, Canada, 1994 Development of analytical protocols for isotope measurements involving either solution mode- and/or laser ablation- multi-collection inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS); Geochemical and radiogenic isotope investigations of alkaline rocks/carbonatites and mantle samples; long-range tracing of atmospheric pollution; strontium isotope studies of teeth from burial sites of Archaeological interest.
	Stefanie Simonetti Assistant Teaching Professor Ph.D. McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, 2002 Combined geochemical, petrological and radiogenic isotope investigation of igneous and mantle-derived rocks and their constituent minerals using both ICP-MS and laser ablation-MC-ICP-MS instrumentation.

Centers/Labs

	Actinide Research Laboratory Peter C. Burns
	Environmental Geochemistry and Geomicrobiology Lab Jeremy B. Fein
	Environmental Actinide Chemistry Laboratory Amy Hixon
	Midwest Isotope and Trace Element Research Analytical Center Antonio Simonetti, Clive R. Neal
	Organic Biogeochemistry and Paleoclimatology Lab Melissa Berke

Sections

Earth Sciences

Core Faculty

Centers/Labs

Accreditation Statement