Research

Pangea is Earth's well-known supercontinent, which existed from ~300-200 Ma (million years ago). Pangea's existence is supported by paleomagnetic evidence* and the "puzzle-piece" fit of Africa and South America, along with similar fossils, sedimentary deposits, and mountain chains across these and other continents. Paleomagnetic studies of continental rocks from the Proterozoic Eon (2.5-0.54 billion years ago, or Ga) are used to hypothesize other older supercontinents in the Proterozoic Eon, namely Columbia (~1.6-1.2 Ga) and Rodina (~1.0-0.7 Ga), but their existence and lifespans are matters of debate. My research focuses on studying the paleomagnetic vectors preserved in Proterozoic hypabyssal mafic dykes** in India to provide answers to the Columbia and Rodinia supercontinent puzzles. The presence or absence of Proterozoic supercontinents has important implications for Earth's geodynamic evolution, the development of horizontal plate tectonics, and the development of complex life.

Dr. Joseph Meert mentored me in all aspects of paleomagnetism (and provided funding for my research) during the pursuit of my PhD. I also owe a debt of gratitude for guidance provided to me by colleagues Dr. Manoj Pandit (University of Rajasthan) and Dr. Anup Sinha (Indian Institute of Geomagnetism).

*Paleomagnetism is the study of Earth's ancient magnetic field and how it is recorded by rocks and sediment when they form. Specifically, paleomagnetism involves isolating original paleomagnetic vectors (with a magnitude and direction) from "overprints" due to heating by other rocks or magmas, fluid alteration, and lightning strikes at Earth's surface, among other things. For more information on how paleomagnetism works, visit my Resources page :).
**Mafic dykes are dark colored, iron-rich igneous rocks which form in subterranean fractures. They are perfect for paleomagnetic studies due to their abundance of ferromagnetic minerals.

Paleomagnetic studies piqued my curiosity on how and when Earth's oldest crust formed. India is host to five of the world's oldest assemblages of rocks, known as cratons, which formed in the Archean Eon (4.0-2.5 Ga), and are older, colder, and thicker than the rest of Earth's continental crust. Many questions remain regarding how global cratons formed, how much crust was created vs. preserved, and whether cratons were mobile (i.e., crashing into one another) at the time of their formation. Geochronological and geochemical analyses of cratonic rocks and minerals provide the only direct measurements of the Archean Earth and serve as the basis for our knowledge on how Earth evolved for most of its history.

For these reasons, I am interested in characterizing the age and geochemistry of a wide variety of cratonic rocks, including mafic dykes, granitoids, and banded-iron formations, and zircon minerals. My work, focused on the Singhbhum, Dharwar, and Bundelkhand Cratons in India, provides insight on important developments such as when Earth's first continental crust was created, when subduction-style plate tectonics began, the evolution and geochemical contamination of cratonic keels, and Archean iron cycling, biogeochemistry, and atmospheric development.

Dr. Paul Mueller and Dr. George Kamenov mentored me in all aspects of Precambrian geochronology and geochemistry during the pursuit of my PhD (with funding for research provided by Dr. Joseph Meert). I also owe a debt of gratitude for guidance provided to me by colleagues Dr. Manoj Pandit (University of Rajasthan) and Dr. Ann Heatherington (University of Florida).

The importance of communicating science has historically been neglected by scientists and funding organizations. However, a spotlight is currently shining on geoscience communication, outreach, and education, in part due to anxiety and misinformation regarding anthropogenic climate change and a lack of global diversity, Equity, and inclusion (DEI) in academic research. As a researcher, I am interested in the "who, what, when, where, why, and how" of geoscience teaching, learning, and communication. Broadly, I am interested in how basic research and global education will evolve in the 21st century. As a privileged person who benefits from the "industry" of academia, especially as a white, male, U.S. citizen who works in the Majority World, I also feel an obligation to give back to the global geoscience community. Additionally, research about research, education, and communication  is innovative, fun, and impactful.

My "sci-comm" research mainly involves surveys, including a 2018 survey of the background geoscience knowledge of several hundred introductory-level geology students at the University of Florida. I compared the responses of online and in-person students using a variety of methods including the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique. The unfunded work was presented at the Geological Society of America conference in 2018 and I may attempt to publish it in a traditional journal or something less formal, like The Conversation. I may also attempt to quantify the public's learning through surveying at a pop-up style museum exhibit in April 2022 (my DIY Magnetic Field Jars project, funded by UF's Thompson Earth Science Institute). 

These projects are examples of "getting my feet wet" in the geoscience outreach, education, and communication world. My interest in these subjects ever-growing.