Department of Earth Sciences

Current Events 

•  Large Release of Methane Could Cause Abrupt and Catastrophic Climate Change as Happened 635 Million Years Ago, UCR-led Study Warns Researchers say methane-triggered global warming ended last "snowball" ice age; dramatically reorganized Earth system.
  
  
• RIVERSIDE, Calif. - An abrupt release of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, about 635 million years ago from ice sheets that then extended to Earth's low latitudes caused a dramatic shift in climate, triggering a series of events that resulted in global warming and effectively ended the last "snowball" ice age, a UC Riverside-led study reports.
  
  The researchers posit that the methane was released gradually at first and then in abundance from clathrates - methane ice that forms and stabilizes beneath ice sheets under specific temperatures and pressures. When the ice sheets became unstable, they collapsed, releasing pressure on the clathrates which began to degas.
  
  "Our findings document an abrupt and catastrophic means of global warming that abruptly led from a very cold, seemingly stable climate state to a very warm also stable climate state with no pause in between," said Martin Kennedy, a professor of geology in the Department of Earth Sciences, who led the research team.
  
  "This tells us about the mechanism, which exists, but is dormant today, as well as the rate of change," he added. "What we now need to know is the sensitivity of the trigger: how much forcing does it take to move from one stable state to the other, and are we approaching something like that today with current carbon dioxide warming."  To read more on this story click here

• Earth Science welcomes Spencer Edward Boyer born May 29th at 8:02 am weighing 7lbs 5oz .  The proud parents of Drew and Diana Boyer.  Congratulations on your new bundle of joy!
  
   

•  Low Oxygen and Molybdenum Levels in Ancient Oceans Delayed Evolution of Life by Two Billion Years UCR-led study tracked biogeochemical signatures preserved in ancient sedimentary rocks to establish nature and timing of oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere.
  
  RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A deficiency of oxygen and the heavy metal molybdenum in the ancient deep ocean may have delayed the evolution of animal life on Earth by nearly two billion years, a study led by UC Riverside biogeochemists has found.
  
  The researchers arrived at their result by tracking molybdenum in black shales, which are a kind of sedimentary rock rich in organic matter and usually found in the deep ocean. Molybdenum is a key micronutrient for life and serves as a proxy for oceanic and atmospheric oxygen amounts.
  
  Study results appear in the March 27 issue of Nature.  To read more on this story click here

• Alumni Stan Finney is presently the Vice-chair of the International Commission on Stratigraphy.  At the 33rd International Geological Congress in Oslo, Norway in August 2008, he will begin a four-year term as Chair of the International Commission on Stratigraphy.  

• Gordon Love was awarded an equipment grant of $200k in February from the Agouron Institute to help buy a state-of- the-art matography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for analysing trace organic (carbon-based) molecules with detection limits of less than a nanogramme for individual compounds in complex mixtures. Matched UCR and Agouron funds have been used to purchase a Waters Autospec Premier GC-MS which is ideal for detailed analyses of trace molecular biomarkers (fossil biochemicals) present in ancient sediments and oils, as well as organic constituents of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites andorganic pollutants in modern environmental samples.  
  

• Silke Severmann a research associate will be moving on to new ventures. Silke will be  moving to the University of Rutgers this summer for a faculty position. The position will be jointly between the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Her research focuses on the biogeochemical cycling of iron, sulfur and other trace metals, and their combined influence on the global carbon and oxygen cycles over geological time. Her primary research tool is stable isotopes with particular emphasis on the newly developing field of metal stable isotopes. At Rutgers she will set up her own research group and spearhead the implementation of a metal stable isotope facility. Her diverse and interdisciplinary background has led her to apply her research to the modern ocean as well as geological records of ancient environments. In her new appointment this will help her to strengthen the links between the two departments.  Check back for photos of her new adventure.
  

• Diana Boyer, a post-doc working with Mary Droser, is starting at SUNY Oswego in Fall of 2008 as an assistant professor in the Earth Sciences department. In this position she will be teaching and continuing her research on the local rocks of upstate New York. Her research focuses on understanding the dynamics of marine communities that inhabited low oxygen settings.

 Awards and Honors

CONGRATULATIONS to Emma Britton, an Undergraduate soon to be graduating this Spring 2008 has been recognized for her hard work.  Emma was awarded the 2008 Earth Sciences Academic Excellence Award and the 2008 College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Outstanding Achievement Award.

CONGRATULATIONS to Dr. Harry Green Professor Emeritus of Earth Sciences has been elected "President-elect" of the Tectonophysics Section of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). He will serve in 2008-2009 as the President-elect and in 2009-2010 as the President of the section.

Recent Graduates

Graduates from the Earth Sciences Department have a high success rate in finding academic jobs in their field. Here are a few of our most recent graduates:

 PhD

Tom Bristow (Spring '08) 
 Tom will be starting as postdoctoral research fellow at Caltech in the fall. He hopes to continue his research on the use of clay minerals in paleoenvironmental reconstructions, possibly a bit further afield - looking at clays on Mars. 


Mike Vredevoogd (Summer '08)

MS

Autumn Thompson (completed, Winter '08)

Douglas John (Spring '08) 
Douglas has not been offered any positions as of yet, so he is  just going to continue looking at paleontological positions opening this summer in museums or colleges. 




Christopher Reinhard (Spring-Summer '08)
Chris will be continuing his studies at UCR and beginning the PhD program.








Camille Partin (Spring-Summer '08) 


 



Greg Lawson (Summer '08)

Neil McKenzie (Summer-Fall '08)
Ryan (Neil) will be continuing his studies here at UCR and beginning the PhD program.

Greg Miller (Summer-Fall '08)

Job Opportunities

Here is a link to the AIP Career NetworkWeb site. The AIP Career Web site has a proven record of providing helpful career information and job opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students.
The SMI website , is designed to help prospective teachers seeking professional career planning advice.

Hewett Club Seminars

The Hewett Club presents a number of speakers throughout each school year. Lectures span a wide range of topics relevant to the Earth Sciences and usually last between one and two hours depending on the amount of questions. Lectures are usually scheduled every Tuesday at 5:10-6:30p.m. in SPTH 2200. Lectures are free of charge. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

• Hewett Club Lecture Series Schedule

GEO 250 Seminar

Oral reports by graduate students, faculty, and visiting scholars on current research topics in geological sciences. Scheduled every Monday at noon. Selected faculty will present talks on their current research during spring quarter.

• GEO 250 Schedule