Graduate Research
Andrew Canada
Ph.D. Candidate
Field of Interest: Basin Analysis
Advisor: Elizabeth Cassel
I am pursing a doctorate in geology at the University of Idaho. My research focuses on lake basin development and evolution in the Cordilleran hinterland of northeastern Nevada. During the Paleogene, a >3 km high orogenic plateau was situated across the Cordilleran hinterland. My goal is to assess the tectonic drivers for basin formation on this high-elevation plateau and to broadly reconstruct the topography and hydrology of this orogen. I am currently working on combining sedimentology and stratigraphy, from fieldwork I completed over the past two summers, with Ar/Ar geochronology and (U-Th)/(He-Pb) double dating of detrital zircon.
Tom Jeute
M.S. Student
Field of Interest: Geochemistry
Advisor:
My research focuses on synthesis of nanophase amorphous clay minerals as Mars analogues. Using these analogues can help to provide clues about the aqueous geochemical environment of Mars.
Daisuke Kobayashi
Ph.D. Candidate
Field of Interest: Geophysics/tectonics
Advisor: Ken Sprenke
I earned my bachelor of Science in geological sciences at the University of Idaho in 2009, and then attended Pennsylvania State University where I received my Masters of Science in 2012. Upon graduation, I returned to UI to pursue a doctorate in geophysics. The main theme of my research is seismotectonics in the Northern Rockies. In one facet of this research, I am exploring the possible linkage between the spatial distribution of the Idaho-Montana seismicity and the upper mantle structure. Another facet is to determine if hypothetical large earthquakes around Yellowstone enhance the potential for a Yellowstone eruption by modeling normal stress change due to those events.
Jeff Larimer
Ph.D. Student
Field of Interest:
Advisor:
As a river flows over different rocktypes, the slope and width of the channel adjust to exert a shear stress necessary to erode the underlying bedrock. I study how fracture spacing, resistance to weathering, and tensile strength of different rocktypes affect the efficiency of different bedrock erosion processes and the resulting channel geometry.
Cary Lindsey
Ph.D. Student in Geology
M.S. Stuudent in Statistics
Field of Interest:
Advisor:
Cary received her bachelor's in geology from Mississippi State University and is a graduate of the National Geothermal Academy at the University of Nevada-Reno. Her research focuses on characterization of heat/mass transport in geothermal systems using field research and data analyses such as multivariate and spatial statistics.
Thomas Morrow
Ph.D. Candidate
Field of Interest: Geodynamics
Advisor: Eric Mittelstaedt
I am a PhD candidate studying long-term tectonic evolution of oceanic transform faults. I use numerical models, gravity measurements, and structural observations of the sea floor to try and understand how transform faults evolve in response to changes in tectonic plate motions over millions of years. My field areas include active transform faults along mid-ocean ridges and fracture zones that record the history of ancient transforms.
Cody Stevens
Ph.D. Student
Field of Interest: Mineralogy
Advisor:
My current research projects include studying the crystal structure of zeolites, determining the origin of ultramafic rocks in central Idaho, and developing programs for orienting anisotropic minerals optically.
Gabi Villegas
M.S. Student
Field of Interest: Hydrogeology and Geothermal Geology
Advisor:
Gabi’s research is based on determining heat flux through the shallow subsurface in geothermal areas through time series measurements.
Bridget Wade
M.S. Student
Field of Interest: Stratigraphy and Palynology
Advisor:
My research involves assessing the chronostratigraphy of the Three Forks Formation and the Pronghorn member of the Bakken Petroleum System. My goal is to establish biozones for the Pronghorn as well as to date the Three Forks. For this project I have sampled Montana outcrop and North Dakota core. I am using palynology for age assessments.
