Tag: Earth and Environmental Geoscience

Reconstructing Volcanic Processes at Mt Ijen (Nicholas Barber)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/9/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/15/2025.

Project Description

You will join Prof. Barberís Volcanology and Igneous Petrology (V.I.P.) to study the lavas produced by Mt. Ijen volcano, East Java. These samples were gathered on a field trip with W&L students last summer. We are attempting to reconstruct the eruptive history of Ijenís many volcanic vents, with a focus on Kawah Ijenís 1817 eruption. You will study sample microstructure, analyze 2D and 3D textural data, gather first-of-its-kind geochemical/microstructure data, and produce computational models (using QGIS, Python, and/or MATLAB) that fit your observations. You will do this in collaboration with local (Virginia Tech) and international (Cambridge, McGill, Gadjah Mada) partners. You will also participate in professional scientific conferences like the Geological Society of Americaís annual meeting in the Fall of 2025 (thanks to generous EEG department support) following our summer work together. I am looking for one to two students.

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Prerequisites

Ideally, the student will have prior experience with geoscience related cousework. However this is not required. If interested in relevant coursework: registering for EEG 322: Volcanology or any section of our “Dynamic earth” intro course this winter, or prior completion of EEG 211 (Earth materials) or EEG 105 (Volcanoes of the US) last academic year will be sufficient

Special Comments

Travel will be regional to visit supporting research facilitites/analogue field sites. 90% of work will be completed on campus in my lab.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/15/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Nicholas Barber (email: nbarber@wlu.edu)

Building W&L’s first digitial archive of rocks and minerals (Nicholas Barber)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/9/2025 and run for 10 weeks, finishing on 8/15/2025.

Project Description

W&L hosts world class collections of rocks and minerals, most of which are locked in cabinet drawers away from the public eye. For the minerals on display as part of the generously donated Funkhouser collection, we are lacking crucial information about their origin, composition, and their role in W&L’s history. You will work alongside Prof. Barber to build W&Lís first digital archive of our teaching and research rock and mineral collection. You will work with Prof. Barber and the University library, using digital archiving tools like Omeka to design the database and develop the collection interface. You will also learn and apply geoscientific analytical tools like the scanning electron microscope (SEM) in the IQ Center to determine the composition and origin of unknown samples. This project will see you build a diverse suite of analytical and computational skills, while contributing to the preservation of W&L’s rich scientific and cultural history. After the conclusion of our work together, you will have the opportunity to present the results of your work at the Geological Society of America annual meeting in the Fall of 2025, thanks to generous EEG department support. I am looking for one to two students on this project.

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Prerequisites

No prerequisite knowledge or training required; passion for rocks/minerals/gems is crucial!

Special Comments

No corequisites or significant research travel.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/15/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Nicholas Barber (email: nbarber@wlu.edu)

Bedrock erosion by plucking; experimental flume analysis (David Harbor)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/2/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 7/25/2025.

Project Description

Since 2015, we have investigated the process of plucking, which is the removal of bedrock blocks from streams and dam spillways by hydraulic forces alone. We use an experimental flume to conduct experiments and are collaborating with a team from UC -Davis that does numerical modeling of erosion in our turbulent flows. This summer we will use a new flume to conduct many experiments with varying slope, discharge, block shape, and nonuniform flow conditions. We will collect video for block motion, flow in the bedrock and water surface profiling synced with digital data including pressure and turbulence. See it for yourself: https://vimeo.com/892423876

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Prerequisites

No prerequisites except curiosity, although 3D modeling and python coding are helpful skills to start.

Special Comments

The summer will include a week-long field trip and the fall will result in a presentation at the AGU meeting in San Francisco in December.

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025

Estimated End Date: 7/25/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: David Harbor (email: harbord@wlu.edu)

Critical mineral (rare earth element and yttrium) extraction by biotic manganese oxides associated with acidic mine drainage (Margaret Anne Hinkle)

On campus: this project is scheduled to begin on 6/9/2025 and run for 8 weeks, finishing on 8/1/2025.

Project Description

With the projected growth in renewable energy and technology sectors along with their increasing reliance on critical minerals such as rare earth elements, yttrium, and manganese, identifying domestic sources of these critical minerals is essential. Large volumes of solid waste containing critical minerals are generated every year as a byproduct of acid mine drainage remediation. Within the United States, acid mine drainage remains an ongoing environmental issue. This research will examine the potential of adapting acid mine drainage remediation systems to produce critical minerals in economically viable concentrations. The research will investigate the impact of a variety of biogeochemical conditions (such as pH, sulfate concentrations, and the presence of microbes) on rare earth elements and yttrium (REYs) uptake by hydrous manganese (Mn) oxide minerals in acid mine drainage remediation systems. These results will help identify the optimal conditions for concentrating REYs in acid mine drainage remediation systems for the recovery of these critical minerals from unconventional domestic sources, while remediating harmful metal-laden acid mine drainage.

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Prerequisites

None

Special Comments

Part of the research may require travel to acid mine drainage field sites outside of Pittsburgh

Project Information (subject to change)

Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025

Estimated End Date: 8/1/2025

Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks

Maximum Number of Students Sought: 3

Research Location: On campus

Contact Information: Margaret Anne Hinkle (email: hinklem@wlu.edu)