Full-time Faculty
Research Interests
- Environmental Geochemistry
- Environmental Hydrogeology
Teaching Interests
- Environmental Hydrology
- Environmental Measurements
Research Interests
- Paleobiogeography
- Paleoecology
- Planktic foraminiferal biostratigraphy
- Planktic foraminiferal taxonomy
- Paleoceanography
- Science Communication
Teaching Interests
- Mass Extinctions
Tim K. Lowenstein
Distinguished Professor
Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Aqueous Geochemistry
- Evaporites
- Geomicrobiology
- Paleoclimatology
- Sandstone Diagenesis
- Fluid Inclusions
Howard Richard Naslund
Professor, Undergraduate Director
Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Layered Intrusions
- Igneous Differentiation
- Crystallization Textures
- Magmatic Ore Deposits
- Igneous Petrology
- Experimental Petrology
- Volcanology
Teaching Interests
- Planet Earth
- Earthquakes and Volcanoes
- Igneous Petrology
Alex Nikulin
Associate Professor; Department Chair
Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Natural and Induced Seismicity
- Subduction Zone Processes
- Natural Resources Exploration and Development
Teaching Interests
- Geophysics
Joe Panzik
Environmental Visualization, Research Assistant Professor; Research Educator
First-year Research Immersion Program; Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Geomagnetism
- Geophysics
- Data Science
- Earth Evolution
Molly Patterson
Assistant Professor
Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Cyclostratigraphy
- Paleoceanography
- Paleoclimatology
Teaching Interests
- Climate and Paleoclimate
- Global Change: A Geological Perspective
- Oceanography
Jeffrey T. Pietras
Associate Professor, Graduate Director
Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Sedimentology
- Basin Analysis
- Petroleum Geology
- Lacustrine Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
- Geospatial Data Integration
- Radiogenic Isotope Geochemistry
- Tectonics
Teaching Interests
- Basin Analysis
- Structural Geology
Sina Saneiyan
Assistant Professor
Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Near-surface geophysics
- Environmental geophysics
- Engineering geophysics
- Biogeophysics
- Hydrogeophysics
Teaching Interests
- Near-surface geophysics
- Electrical methods
- Programming in geosciences
- Geophysical field methods
Jonathan Schmitkons
Biogeochemistry, Research Associate Professor
First-year Research Immersion Program; Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Urban watersheds: transport and storage of traffic derived pollutants, pollutant cycling through constructed wetlands
- Biogeochemical cycling in meromictic lakes: whiting events, sulfur oxidizing bacteria, microbialite
Sarah Sheffield
Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Director
Department of Earth Sciences
Research Interests
- Paleobiology
- Evolution of invertebrate life
- Echinoderm paleobiology
- Equity and inclusion in Earth Sciences
- Science communication and geoscience education
Teaching Interests
- Paleobiology
- Introductory geology
- Sedimentary petrology
- Science communication
- Advanced methods in paleobiology
