Curriculum Vitae

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Education

2003-2007 University at Buffalo, State University of New York
Ph.D. Geology

Dissertation: Effects of valley geomorphology on the behavior of volcanic mass-flows.
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2000-03 University at Buffalo, State University of New York
M.S. Geology

Thesis: Evaluating TITAN2D mass-flow model using the 1963 Little Tahoma Peak Avalanches, Mount Rainier, Washington.
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1996-99 University of Plymouth, England
B.Sc. (Hons) Environmental Geology

Thesis: Sedimentology of the Middle Fork Mudflow, Western Washington, USA.
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1997-98 Western Washington University
Continuation of undergraduate degree studies in Student Exchange program.

Employment

09/2007-Present Data Manager (3 days/week)
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust

Responsible for maintaining and updating the database of geological and geomorphologic sites in the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Also handle enquiries and dissemination of sites data, and established data access policies and procedures for GIS-based definition of site boundaries.
09/2007-Present Project Manager (2 days/week)
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust

Responsible for day-to-day management of budget (£27,000); coordinating work of volunteers, paid officers and web development personnel on a project to develop a series of four self-guiding trails under the Walking the way to Health Initiative.
06/2003-05/2007 Research Assistant
Department of Geology, University at Buffalo

Responsible for research on several projects in addition to Ph.D. thesis. Projects include the integration of variable bed friction into the Titan2D code, and the assessments of hazards from volcanic activity at Volcán El Misti (Peru) and Volcán Irazú (Costa Rica). See publications for more information.
08/2000-05/2003 Teaching Assistant
Department of Geology, University at Buffalo

Taught a series of Undergraduate and Graduate labs and classes including Introductory Earth Science/Geology, and Remote Sensing and GIS. See Teaching Experience for more information.
01-08/2000 Trails Manager for Worcestershire
Herefordshire and Worcestershire RIGS Group

Developed three self guiding trails in areas of interesting and (or) important geological and geomorphological features in the county of Worcestershire. Identified areas suitable for designation as a Regionally Important Geological or Geomorphological Site. Also developed Health and Safety Plan and procedures for employees and volunteers working in the field.

Field Experience

07/2005 Ph.D. Fieldwork Season 2
32 days: Collected GPS and stratigraphic data on pyroclastic flow deposits and terraces in the Vazcún Valley, Volcán Tungurahua, Ecuador.
04/2005 Volcán Irazú, Costa Rica
8 days: Collection of GPS data in the Rio Reventado basin. Also visited Volcán Poas and Volcán Arenal.
07-08/2004 Ph.D. Fieldwork Season 1
32 days: Collected GPS and stratigraphic data on pyroclastic flow deposits and terraces in the Vazcún Valley, Volcán Tungurahua, Ecuador.
07-08/2003 Volcán Tungurahua, Ecuador and Volcán El Misti, Peru
30 days: GPS-based topographic mapping and stratigraphic data. Also did preliminary work on Volcán Hualca Hualca.
03-04/2002 Volcán Colima, Mexico
11 days: Studying the geological history of an active volcano.
06/2001 Mount Rainier, USA
8 days: Used GPS to locate geophysical survey lines and debris flow deposit features.
03-04/1999 Spanish Pyrenees
10 days: Investigation of active tectonic and sedimentary processes.
06-07/1998 Mt. Baker, USA
30 days: studying volcanic debris flows deposits.

Teaching Experience

Spring 2003 GLY 216 - Soft Rock II: Paleontology and Sedimentology.
A course for students in Geology designed to introduce them to the important invertebrate phylums in the fossil record and teach them skills to interpret fossil assemblages.
Spring 2002
Fall 2002
GLY 560 - GIS and Remote Sensing for Earth Scientists.
A course for students in Geology designed to introduce them to the essential principles and applications of Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing in Earth Science.
Spring 2001 GLY 105 - The Earth.
Taught two lab sections per week. Topics covered included basic mineralogy and petrology (with fieldtrip), plate tectonics.
Fall 2000
Fall 2001
GLY 101 - Global Environmental Science.
Taught two lab sessions per week. Topics covered included topographic maps, aerial photos, fluvial processes (with fieldtrip), impact studies, basic mineralogy and petrology, earthquakes and volcanoes.

Workshops and Short Courses

07/2007 Caldera types and Ignimbrites 14-18 July, 2007
IUGG 2007 sponsored field workshop on caldera types and associated ingmibrites in the Roman volcanoes, Italy.
11/2005 Density Currents and Topography, Tenerife, 22-29 March 2007
IAVCEI Commission on Explosive Volcanism Field Workshop investigating the interactions between pyroclastic density currents and topogrpahy.
11/2005 OVISCORI Course 17th-24th November 2005
UNESCO sponsored course on monitoring and computer flow modeling of volcanic hazards.

Grants and Awards

10/2005 Reginald H. Pegrum Professional Development Scholarship Award
05/2005 Reginald H. Pegrum Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Research
2005-Present NSF Grant - Amount: $250,000 – proposal written to support Ph.D. research on geomorphic changes on active volcanoes (Dr. M.F. Sheridan, PI)
2003-Present 05-08/2002 Research Assistantship. Involved several projects in addition to Ph.D. research. See research page for information.
2000-03 Teaching Assistantship. See above for classes taught.

Society Memberships

Since 2007 IAVCEI
Since 2005 American Geophysical Union
Since 2001 Geological Society of America

Click here to download a pdf version of my CV. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.