As a student intern at the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, I supported outreach efforts and acted as a field assistant for STATEMAP bedrock mapping. My master’s research on the Cisuralian Garber Sandstone (shallow Anadarko Basin) in Oklahoma utilized lithofacies and provenance analyses to understand the depositional environment and source-to-sink sediment routing of the midcontinent in the early Permian. I have point counted, logged core, processed for grain size, used an LA-ICP-MS for zircon age dating, and perhaps most importantly taught the importance of reading the rock record to a variety of students.
In my current role at the ISGS I have shifted my focus to historical geologic data investigations and shallow groundwater quality assessments across Illinois. Perhaps my most exciting project focuses on reviewing and updating sites of 'outstanding geology' in Illinois to develop a methodology for understanding, classifying, and protecting these sites of geologic significance. Being a part of the Nature Preserves Program has taught me a variety of skills, including how to look at a landscape holistically and think critically about geomorphology, shallow hydrogeology, bedrock and Quaternary deposits, and surrounding land uses seen and unseen.