Alumni - where are they now?

HEY ALUMS!

We would like to hear from you! What have you been up to since graduating from U of I? Do you have any news you would like to share with fellow alums? Please drop us an email with your latest news and contact information. Check back periodically so you can find out what happened to all your fellow students from yesteryear. Please send information to Mickey Gunter at mgunter@uidaho.edu.

Jonathan Meyer

Jonathan Meyer was born and raised in Nampa, Idaho where he graduated from Vallivue High School in 2005. Jonathan earned a B.S. in Geological Sciences from the University of Idaho in 2009, where he researched magmatic dike induced mega floods in the Elysium volcanic province, Mars, with senior thesis advisor Prof. Simon Kattenhorn. Jonathan is currently a graduate student at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) where he is pursuing a M.S. in Geological Sciences.

Jonathan is part of NASA's 2011 Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) team which evaluates technology, human-robotic systems and extravehicular equipment in the high desert near Flagstaff, AZ. Jonathan's research focuses on lunar in situ resource discovery and utilization through the UTEP Center for Space Exploration Technology Research. Jonathan is currently developing new methods for lunar lava tube discovery and characterization using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) data. Jonathan served on the strategic science team for Desert RATS 2010, and has been given the opportunity to serve as a geologist crew member for Desert RATS 2011. Field analog studies like Desert RATS aid Jonathan's research tremendously by providing a unique insight into the scientific planning and execution of manned exploration missions. Understanding the logistics of extraterrestrial exploration, and how to best conduct scientific operations will help Jonathan determine the utility of newly discovered lunar lava tube candidates.

Tom Huebner

After completing an M.S. in Geology in 2009, I began work for Barrick Gold Corporation, the largest gold mining company in the world. I am Project Geologist of the delineation drilling program at a mine called Turquoise Ridge, near Winnemucca Nevada. Turquoise Ridge is a subsurface mine, and the deepest point in the mine is about 1/2 mile underground.

The day-to-day activities of my job vary. Some days I log core, block core for assay intervals, interpret drill results, plan future drill programs, coordinate drill moves, QA/QC our data, verify and approve drill holes in the database, have safety meetings with the drill contractor, budget, write monthly reports, and go underground to chase drill rigs for a variety of reasons. It’s a fast paced, dynamic environment and the underground is continually changing.

I really like my job – Barrick is a great company and has provided me with ample opportunity for professional development. Because Barrick is an international company with properties all over Nevada, South America, Australia, South Africa, and Alaska, I never know where the next opportunity will take me, and that’s exciting.

Stacey Taylor

After completing my B.S. degree in Geology in 2005, I continued my education at the University of Idaho to obtain my M.S. in Hydrology in 2007. Upon finishing school, I became a Research Hydrologist for the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute in Idaho Falls, ID. In the two years that I have been here, I've worked on a variety of projects that have included the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer and the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) aquifer systems.

In the ESRP, I have been involved with updating the water budget of the ESRP Aquifer Model and developing a monitoring network of wells to conduct a recharge experiment in the northern area of the plain. I've also been involved with several geochemical experiments at the Idaho National Lab. For the SVRP aquifer, I was tasked with creating a user-friendly spreadsheet from the SVRP aquifer model to allow anyone to estimate surface water response to various recharge or pumping events in the SVRP.

Attending graduate school at the University of Idaho gave me the opportunity to work with several great professors and make many important contacts, which has led to the projects I work on today.