Title and department: Assistant Professor, Department of Geoscience
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Educational/professional background:
Postdoctoral Fellow, Simons Foundation Collaboration on the Origins of Life, Yale University (2018-2019)
Postdoctoral Associate, Yale University (2017-2018)
PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2017)
BS, Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington (2011)
BA, French, University of Washington (2011)
How did you get into your field of research?
I signed up for my first geology class because it was a prerequisite for an advanced geological field-mapping class that I read about in the course catalog. The field class was focused on how to interpret and map rocks in the field and was hosted in the summer in Montana. I wanted to get credit for hiking all day, every day in a class! That’s how I originally got sucked in, but then when I started learning about my subfield (isotope geochemistry) in introductory geology classes, it made me feel like Sherlock Holmes to use radioactive isotope systems as clocks and tracers to tackle really fundamental questions about the Earth: How and when did the first continents form on Earth? When did plate tectonics start? How did the Earth get oxygen in its atmosphere and what did this do to the trajectory of the evolution of life?
Could you please describe your area of focus?
I am an isotope geochemist. I use mass spectrometers to look at small differences in the isotope composition of a variety of element systems in rocks. My goals are two-fold: 1) date rocks (also known as geochronology) to place them into the context of the geologic record; 2) trace a variety of processes in these rocks (e.g. formation of continents, evidence for shifts in the oxygen concentration of the atmosphere through time).
What main issue do you address or problem do you seek to solve in your work?
In my research, I am trying to work out how the Earth evolved from a relatively homogeneous ball of accreted matter to the habitable planet that we live on today — how did the crust, oceans and atmosphere form? Since I focus on chronology in my work, I am looking at the rates and timing of these processes and relating them to what we know about the geologic record.
What attracted you to UW-Madison?
The quality of the research and teaching of my colleagues is inspiring and the analytical facilities are some of the best in the world. The overall atmosphere of the department and the leadership I met on campus was extremely positive, collegial and focused on science — which was exactly what I was looking for.
What was your first visit to campus like?
My first visit to campus was in late February during an unusual spell of warm (about 50°F) and sunny weather, so everyone I met with joked with me that this is how it would always be here in the winter! My favorite part of my visit was the discussion period after the two talks I gave — students are prioritized in our department and so the discussion starts with their questions, which I had never seen before. I was asked several really tough and thought-provoking questions that later led into richer, ongoing discussions with students, staff and faculty. It was easy to imagine coming here and drumming up fruitful in-house collaborations right away.
What’s one thing you hope students who take a class with you will come away with?
My primary goal as a teacher is to help students broaden their appreciation for the Earth, including the trajectory it has taken to its current state of habitability and their role as active citizens in its future.
Do you feel your work relates in any way to the Wisconsin Idea? If so, please describe how.
In my teaching and research mentorship, my hope is to help guide students to develop as scientists and global citizens. I’m excited to talk with them and others about the complex problems we are facing on our planet.
What’s something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter at parties?
The Earth is about 4.56 billion years old. The oldest mineral fragments that we have preserved from the early Earth are up to 4.37 billion years old (worked on by John Valley’s group here at UW-Madison), and the oldest continental crust that is still intact and for which the age is undisputed is about 4 billion years old (I study these rocks). There’s a lot of missing history in the earliest part of the terrestrial rock record, but there are several people at UW-Madison trying to parse out what we can from the little amount of material we have.
What are you looking forward to doing or experiencing in Madison?
I’ve already joined a soccer team and now I’m looking forward to getting out in the fall weather and running around the lakes. My favorite “discovery” so far is frozen custard, which I had never tried before.
Hobbies/other interests:
Soccer, traveling to do geological fieldwork in remote locations (e.g. Northern Canada, Russia), running, golf, tennis, writing poetry, cooking and teaching my dog wacky tricks.