Alumni Reception

University of Idaho alumni and friends are invited to join College of Science Dean Ginger Carney for a reception in Boise on April 11, 2019. Professor Erika Rader of the Department of Geological Sciences will give a presentation on her current research during the event.

Alumni Reception and Research Presentation
Thursday, April 11, 2019
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Idaho Water Center – Legacy Pointe (first floor)
322 E Front Street, Boise, Idaho

Complimentary appetizers and no-host beverages

All are welcome.  If you would like to attend, RSVP to Hayley Myrold at hayleym@uidaho.edu or 208-885-6195.

Research Presentation: Volcanic Spatter Across the Solar System: How Idaho + Lava Bombs = Water on Mars

Abstract: We have been looking for evidence of ancient water on Mars for decades hoping to find places where life may have flourished on the red planet. Volcanic rocks, such as those at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, consist of lava flows, cinder cones, and sometimes spatter bombs. Spatter bombs can form when lava interacts with water, causing an explosion and sending blobs into the air. If we can learn how those blobs are preserved in the rock record, we can look for them on Mars and trace out ancient water sources. We have created the first synthetic lava bombs using real molten rock to study the deposits at Craters of the Moon and can compare our rocks to images of Mars.

Presented by: Erika Rader, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences