May 7, 2019
The Frank E. Kottlowski / Bureau Fellowship is awarded to an incoming graduate student in the earth sciences at New Mexico Tech and offers a 12-month Research Assistantship plus actual tuition costs. The award may be extended for up to 3 years. This year's fellowship receipient also received the NMGS Kottlowski award for the best Grant-in-Aid proposal.
Morgan Nasholds provided the following project summary and biographical information.
Proposed research:
The proposed research seeks to use recent technological advances in 40Ar/39Ar geochronology to establish a complete set of accurate and highly precise ages for the post-caldera volcanism at Valles caldera. While other studies in Valles have provided vital framework for quantifying eruptive sequences on its post-caldera domes, none have assessed every unit, and thus a comprehensive suite of ages has yet to be determined. These ages will be used to determine eruptive frequencies, repose intervals, constrain the duration of resurgence at Valles, and reinforce the stratigraphic record established in Goff et al. (2011). In addition to establishing new ages, volumetric assessment of the post-caldera domes will be used in conjunction with the ages to determine the eruptive flux of the Valles system over time.
Short biographical sketch:
I received my Bachelor's of Science in Geology from the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR in June 2017. Shortly afterward, I worked for two months at the Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) in Vancouver, WA, testing infrasound instruments, operating as a field aid around Mount St. Helens, and volunteering for IAVCEI 2017. Beginning in January 2018, I worked at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) on the Big Island. There, I worked with the seismic group locating earthquakes, testing instruments, and maintaining maps of instruments around the island. Additional work I performed at HVO was with the gas geochemistry group, maintaining FLYSPEC array instruments, and measuring the sulphur dioxide gas plumes from the lava lake, the Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent, and the Lower Puna fissures. My time at HVO was defined by the initiation of the 2018 Lower Puna Eruption, during which I served on eruption watches and gas monitoring teams. I began my Master's at NMT in August 2018, and once I am finished here, I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in volcanology/geochemistry. Career-wise, I'm looking to work on active volcanic systems and in hazard mitigation.