IU STARS/IFLE Mentors - Geological Sciences
Simon Brassel
Research focused on deciphering biogeochemical responses to climatic and environmental change that are preserved in the occurrence, abundance, and isotopic composition of organic matter in sediments.
Bruce Douglas
Research focused on developing an understanding of various deformation mechanisms that are active in the brittle and ductile portions of the lithosphere. Projects involve both laboratory and field based investigations; all projects typically combine either experimental or theoretical modeling with field or natural samples and site-specific data sets.
Claudia Johnson
The focus of my research is to evaluate evolutionary processes in the paleotropics. The tropical reef ecosystem provides the empirical database that I analyze using statistical methods. I then synthesize patterns and processes affecting reef evolution and demise, and evaluate the biotic changes in the context of the tropical ocean-climate system. At present, I examine reefs that evolved under Cretaceous “greenhouse”, Pleistocene “icehouse” and Oligocene transitional climate states.
Gary Pavlis
Direct imaging with teleseismic wavefields, Southeast Caribbean Plate Margin, St. Elias Erosion and Tectonics Project (STEEP)
David Polly
Vetebrate paleontology
Lisa Pratt
Geomicrobiology of sulfate-reducing microorganismss, Biotic and abiotic fractionation of sulfur isotopes in modern and ancient oceans and lakes, Influence of wildfire on carbon isotopic excursions during the Cretaceous, Fate of complex organic molecules on the surface of Mars
Juergen Schieber
Early diagenetic mineral formation in shales. Preservation of microbes in mudstones. Provenance of quartz in mudstones.
Bob Wintsch
Metamorphic Petrology, Structural Petrology, Tectonics, Geochronology
