We are always looking for highly motivated students. Below is a list of former and current students working with me. Please contact me for more information.
Lab Manager
Dr. William Matthews
Dr. Matthews is an expert in zircon U-Pb dating and (U-Th-Sm)/He dating. His research interests are in methodological developments as well as the application of geo- and thermochronology to various geologic questions. Will has been working in many places such as Iran, Madagaska, western U.S. and particularly in the southwestern Canadian Cordillera.
Contact:
Office: ES522
Phone: +1 (403) 210-7766
Email: wamatthe@ucalgary.ca
Dr. Matthews is an expert in zircon U-Pb dating and (U-Th-Sm)/He dating. His research interests are in methodological developments as well as the application of geo- and thermochronology to various geologic questions. Will has been working in many places such as Iran, Madagaska, western U.S. and particularly in the southwestern Canadian Cordillera.
Contact:
Office: ES522
Phone: +1 (403) 210-7766
Email: wamatthe@ucalgary.ca
Graduate Students
Sedighe Khodaparast (PhD student)
Sedighe is a visiting PhD student from the Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran (Iran). In her thesis research she is investigating the spatial and temporal evolution of the 160 km long Kushk-e-Nosrat strike-slip fault located in central Iran. Sedighe is visiting the thermochronology laboratory for 6 month to conduct apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He analyses on her samples, which she will integrate with her structural measurements and mapping data.
Sedighe is a visiting PhD student from the Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran (Iran). In her thesis research she is investigating the spatial and temporal evolution of the 160 km long Kushk-e-Nosrat strike-slip fault located in central Iran. Sedighe is visiting the thermochronology laboratory for 6 month to conduct apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He analyses on her samples, which she will integrate with her structural measurements and mapping data.
Kelley Fraser (Master student)
Kelley will join the group in summer 2018. Kelley will conduct fission track and U-Th/He dating on bedrock samples she will collect this summer along the Rocky Mountain Trench in the southern Canadian Cordillera. Kelley has already experience in geo-and thermochornology conducting zircon FT dating on samples from the southern Appalachians during her senior thesis project at the Appalachian State University.
Kelley will join the group in summer 2018. Kelley will conduct fission track and U-Th/He dating on bedrock samples she will collect this summer along the Rocky Mountain Trench in the southern Canadian Cordillera. Kelley has already experience in geo-and thermochornology conducting zircon FT dating on samples from the southern Appalachians during her senior thesis project at the Appalachian State University.
Ryan McKay (Master student)
Ryan will join the group in summer 2018. He will be working on the tectonic evolution of the Richardson Mountains (N.W.T.), which is a project in collaboration with Thomas Hadlari from the Geological Survey of Canada. Ryan will combine structural field data with low-temperature thermochronology analyses.
Ryan will join the group in summer 2018. He will be working on the tectonic evolution of the Richardson Mountains (N.W.T.), which is a project in collaboration with Thomas Hadlari from the Geological Survey of Canada. Ryan will combine structural field data with low-temperature thermochronology analyses.
Nathaniel Bootes (Master student)
Nathaniel is working on borehole material from various locations along the Yakutat shelf in Southeast Alaska. The primary goal of the project is to use detrital zircon fission track dating to investigate changes in exhumation rates in the adjacent St. Elias orogen throughout the past ~10 Ma. This project is funded by the American Chemical Society – Petroleum Research Fund and is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Richard Lease (USGS Anchorage, AK).
Nathaniel is working on borehole material from various locations along the Yakutat shelf in Southeast Alaska. The primary goal of the project is to use detrital zircon fission track dating to investigate changes in exhumation rates in the adjacent St. Elias orogen throughout the past ~10 Ma. This project is funded by the American Chemical Society – Petroleum Research Fund and is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Richard Lease (USGS Anchorage, AK).
Jenny Arkle (Ph.D. candidate)
My research focuses primarily on mountain belt exhumation and tectonic-surface process interactions over multiple timescales. I use geomorphic analyses (GIS) and traditional field mapping in tandem with a variety of geochronologic tools, such as low-temperature thermochronology, cosmogenic, and optically stimulated luminescence dating. I apply a combination of these techniques to quantify the timing of events, rates, and magnitudes, to interpret the evolution of mountain building, river incision, and the evolution of other uplifted and eroded terrains. For my PhD research, I investigate tropical influences in transform settings and focus on tectonic-climate-surface process interactions of Trinidad and Tobago.
My research focuses primarily on mountain belt exhumation and tectonic-surface process interactions over multiple timescales. I use geomorphic analyses (GIS) and traditional field mapping in tandem with a variety of geochronologic tools, such as low-temperature thermochronology, cosmogenic, and optically stimulated luminescence dating. I apply a combination of these techniques to quantify the timing of events, rates, and magnitudes, to interpret the evolution of mountain building, river incision, and the evolution of other uplifted and eroded terrains. For my PhD research, I investigate tropical influences in transform settings and focus on tectonic-climate-surface process interactions of Trinidad and Tobago.
Undergraduate Students
Ryan Grieco (undergraduate thesis)
Ryan is studying the exhumation history of the Rocky Mountain Trench in the Valemount, B.C. area. The region of Valemount marks the transition from normal faulting along the southern Rocky Mountain trench to strike-slip faulting along the northern trench. Ryan is using apatite and zircon U-Th/He analysis to quantify timing, rates and amounts of exhumation across the main structure of the trench.
Ryan is studying the exhumation history of the Rocky Mountain Trench in the Valemount, B.C. area. The region of Valemount marks the transition from normal faulting along the southern Rocky Mountain trench to strike-slip faulting along the northern trench. Ryan is using apatite and zircon U-Th/He analysis to quantify timing, rates and amounts of exhumation across the main structure of the trench.
Kade Damant
Kade started in winter 2018 and is helping in the laboratory. He is conducting a variety of mineral separation steps including rock crushing, sieving, washing, heavy liquid and magnetic separation. He is separating apatite and zircon grains from bedrock samples collected along the Columbia River Fault, which he will analyze using U-Th/He thermochronology.
Kade started in winter 2018 and is helping in the laboratory. He is conducting a variety of mineral separation steps including rock crushing, sieving, washing, heavy liquid and magnetic separation. He is separating apatite and zircon grains from bedrock samples collected along the Columbia River Fault, which he will analyze using U-Th/He thermochronology.
Former Students
Sonia Sanchez-Lohff (M.Sc. 2018)
Sonia is working on the sedimentary record of the Cook Inlet forearc basin in southern Alaska. She uses detrital zircon fission track and U-Pb dating to investigate how varying subduction styles (spreading-ridge subduction, oceanic plateau) affected southern Alaska since the Jurassic time. This project is funded by the NSF and in conducted in collaboration with Dr. Emily Finzel (University of Iowa).
Sonia is now employed at FracGeo in Houston, TX
Sonia is working on the sedimentary record of the Cook Inlet forearc basin in southern Alaska. She uses detrital zircon fission track and U-Pb dating to investigate how varying subduction styles (spreading-ridge subduction, oceanic plateau) affected southern Alaska since the Jurassic time. This project is funded by the NSF and in conducted in collaboration with Dr. Emily Finzel (University of Iowa).
Sonia is now employed at FracGeo in Houston, TX
Anna Schartman (undergraduate research)
Anna is working in the thermochronology lab since 2016 and is a real expert in picking, measuring and packing apatite and zircon for U-Th/He dating, conducting apatite fission-track analysis and conducting mineral separation. Anna's research project centers on the quantification of the timing and spatial pattern of rock exhumation at the northern end of the Fairweather Fault located in the Yakutat Bay area in Southeast Alaska. Anna will present her research at the GSA Meeting in Seattle in October 2017.
Anna is working in the thermochronology lab since 2016 and is a real expert in picking, measuring and packing apatite and zircon for U-Th/He dating, conducting apatite fission-track analysis and conducting mineral separation. Anna's research project centers on the quantification of the timing and spatial pattern of rock exhumation at the northern end of the Fairweather Fault located in the Yakutat Bay area in Southeast Alaska. Anna will present her research at the GSA Meeting in Seattle in October 2017.
Catherine Dunn (M.Sc. 2016)
Katie has been working on glacio-marine sediment samples obtained from 5 boreholes that have been drilled in 2013 by the IODP Expedition 341. She used detrital zircon fission track and U-Pb dating (double-dating) to investigate the sediment provenance and routing from the St. Elias Mountain to the shelf and the deep sea, as well as the exhumation history of the source region. Catherine published her research in Dunn et al., 2017, JGR-ES.
Katie is now the separation lab manager at the Department of Geological Sciences at Stanford University.
Katie has been working on glacio-marine sediment samples obtained from 5 boreholes that have been drilled in 2013 by the IODP Expedition 341. She used detrital zircon fission track and U-Pb dating (double-dating) to investigate the sediment provenance and routing from the St. Elias Mountain to the shelf and the deep sea, as well as the exhumation history of the source region. Catherine published her research in Dunn et al., 2017, JGR-ES.
Katie is now the separation lab manager at the Department of Geological Sciences at Stanford University.
Sarah Falkowski (Ph.D. 2016)
Sarah investigated the spatial and temporal development of deep-seated exhumation at the St. Elias syntaxis in the active Yakutat–North American subduction-collision zone, SE Alaska/SW Yukon. She used multiple geo- and thermochronologic methods including zircon U/Pb, amphibole and biotite 40Ar/39Ar, zircon and apatite FT and U-Th/He dating to analyze glacial detrital material of sand and cobble size. Sarah's work has been published in Falkowski et al., 2014 (Tectonics), 2016 (Tectonics), Falkowski & Enkelmann, 2016 (Lithosphere), Enkelmann et al., 2017 (EPSL).
Sarah is now a postdoc at the University of Tuebingen working with Todd Ehlers.
Sarah investigated the spatial and temporal development of deep-seated exhumation at the St. Elias syntaxis in the active Yakutat–North American subduction-collision zone, SE Alaska/SW Yukon. She used multiple geo- and thermochronologic methods including zircon U/Pb, amphibole and biotite 40Ar/39Ar, zircon and apatite FT and U-Th/He dating to analyze glacial detrital material of sand and cobble size. Sarah's work has been published in Falkowski et al., 2014 (Tectonics), 2016 (Tectonics), Falkowski & Enkelmann, 2016 (Lithosphere), Enkelmann et al., 2017 (EPSL).
Sarah is now a postdoc at the University of Tuebingen working with Todd Ehlers.
Adam Piestrzeniewicz (M.Sc. 2015)
Adam investigated the temporal and spatial pattern of rock exhumation in the St. Elias syntaxis and north of it, located in the Kluane National Park (Yukon, Canada). He conducted apatite fission-track analysis and combined the data with zircon fission-track, and apatite and zircon U-Th/He data from the same sample.
Adam's research has been published in Enkelmann, E., Piestrzeniewicz, A., Falkowski, S. et al., 2017 (EPSL).
Adam moved back to southern California and is a staff geologist at Haley & Aldrich (Environmental and Geotechnical Consulting)
Adam investigated the temporal and spatial pattern of rock exhumation in the St. Elias syntaxis and north of it, located in the Kluane National Park (Yukon, Canada). He conducted apatite fission-track analysis and combined the data with zircon fission-track, and apatite and zircon U-Th/He data from the same sample.
Adam's research has been published in Enkelmann, E., Piestrzeniewicz, A., Falkowski, S. et al., 2017 (EPSL).
Adam moved back to southern California and is a staff geologist at Haley & Aldrich (Environmental and Geotechnical Consulting)
David Grabowski (M.Sc. 2012)
David investigated cobbles from the Seward-Malaspina Glacier system to identify lithologies that have been exhumed extremely rapidly underneath the ice that covers the St. Elias Mountains. He combined field mapping, petrology on thin section and zircon U-Th/He dating to characterize varying exhumation sources. David published his thesis research in Grabowski et al., 2013 (JGR-ES)
Since graduation David is a full time staff geologist at Walter & Partner GbR in Tauberbischofsheim (Germany).
David investigated cobbles from the Seward-Malaspina Glacier system to identify lithologies that have been exhumed extremely rapidly underneath the ice that covers the St. Elias Mountains. He combined field mapping, petrology on thin section and zircon U-Th/He dating to characterize varying exhumation sources. David published his thesis research in Grabowski et al., 2013 (JGR-ES)
Since graduation David is a full time staff geologist at Walter & Partner GbR in Tauberbischofsheim (Germany).
Gabriel Merli (Diploma 2014)
Gabriel investigated the cooling record of detrital apatite grains that were deposited in the Eocene Chumstick Basin in Washington State (USA). Gabriel conducted apatite U-Th/He dating and thermal history modeling to reveal the varying thermal history of the basin and timing of basin inversion. His result together with apatite fission track analysis are published in Enkelmann, Ehlers, Merli, Methner 2015 (Tectonics).
Gabriel is now employed as a engineering and field geologist at Henke and Partner GmbH.
Gabriel investigated the cooling record of detrital apatite grains that were deposited in the Eocene Chumstick Basin in Washington State (USA). Gabriel conducted apatite U-Th/He dating and thermal history modeling to reveal the varying thermal history of the basin and timing of basin inversion. His result together with apatite fission track analysis are published in Enkelmann, Ehlers, Merli, Methner 2015 (Tectonics).
Gabriel is now employed as a engineering and field geologist at Henke and Partner GmbH.