Magma | Metals | Big Data

I am a volcanologist, petrologist, and GIS scientist. I primarily research the composition and textures of magmas in subduction zones, with a focus on Java, Indonesia. I apply a range of field, laboratory, and computational techniques to answer questions about (1) subduction geochemical cycles (2) the behavior of chalcophile metals in the crust and (3) magma storage conditions in active volcanoes.

I am committed educator and equality, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) advocate. I lecture on GIS & petrology, and I have taught physical geology, mineralogy and petrology courses leveraging a wide array of teaching tools. I led my Department’s EDI Working Group from 2020-2021, and continue to fight for a more equitable and diverse landscape in geosciences.

Background

I am from Philadelphia, USA, and I pursued a B.S. in Geoscience at Drexel University from 2013-2018. As an undergraduate, I was awarded competitive scholarships from NOAA, The Goldwater Foundation, Fulbright, NSF, and the Gates Cambridge Trust.

I completed my PhD at the University of Cambridge, UK in August 2022. My PhD was funded by a Gates Cambridge Scholarship and the Centre for the Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tectonics. I have been recognized for my research accomplishments, and I actively mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students. My PhD was supervised by Prof. Marie Edmonds, Prof. Helen Williams, and Dr. Frances Jenner.

Currently, I am a Wares Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University, Montréal, Canada. I am excited to share I will be joining Washington and Lee University in July 2023 as an Assistant Professor in Earth and Environmental Geoscience!

Download my CV

Research

I am interested in the petrologic processes that controls chalcophile (sulphide-loving, e.g. Cu, As, Ag, etc.) metal abundances in magmas, and the implications of those processes for gaseous metal emissions, environmental health, ore deposition, and magmatic processes.

More broadly, I am interested in multi-disciplinary studies of the controls on, and effects of volcanism in subduction zone. These studies leverage a diverse range of computational, analytical, and field methods. I have sought ought collaborations with metamorphic petrologists, geodynamicists, experimentalists, and economic geologists to address fundamental questions about the chemical and physical processes shaping arc volcanism at convergent margins.

GIS for Geoscientists

I have designed and successfully delivered several Geographic Information Systems (GIS) lecture series for geoscience departments in both the UK and North America (McGill University, University College London, University of Cambridge, Volcano Magmatic Studies Group). The workshops are designed to be beginner friendly, centered around practicals that show how you go from raw geological data to a finished map. I encourage you to reach out if this sounds like something you or your organization would benefit from!

If you want to run this course for your organization, visit my GitHub and reach out!

Outputs & Mentorship

I’ve presented my work at professional geological conferences across the world, including AGU, Goldschmidt, VMSG, GSA, and others. I am the lead or co-author on several manuscripts, and have contributed to a number of ongoing volcanology projects. I prioritize collaborative and active mentoring strategies, and have successfully advised 10+ students at various stages in their research projects.