Department of Geology

Ryan Kerrigan

Graduate Student

(photo at left is on Chimborazo, Ecuador-its summit is the farthest point from the center of the Earth)

Ryan came to the LMDR during the winter term of 2006. He is using a hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC) to investigate the solubility of ore metals in hydrothermal systems. You can get more information here.

Michael Mengason

Graduate Student

(photo at left is at the summit of Kala Patar, Nepal)

Brian Tattitch

Graduate Student

Brian is a rock climber looking for a place to go, and an avid water polo player (and prolific scorer). More information about Brian can be found here.

Melissa Wilmot

Graduate Student

(photo at left is at Obsidian Dome)

Melissa is studying the partitioning of the bismuth among high-silica rhyolite melts, vapor, brine and minerals under temperatures and pressures similar to conditions in shallow crustal magma chambers. Bismuth has been used as a pathfinder element, as it has been found in significant quantities in the ores of Au, Mo, W, Ag and Cu, as well as other minerals. More information can be found here.