Attention prospective students!
I typically accept 1-2 new graduate students per year into my research group, and admissions have become extremely competitive. I am looking for the very best: bright, enthusiastic students who love geoscience and have excellent communication and organizational skills. Previous research experience, particularly with a field component in clastic stratigraphy,, is very helpful. We work hard (and play hard). I recommend contacting me by email with your interests, and if possible, come out for a visit. Please review the department's admission page first! Although the University allows rolling admissions, I rarely take people off cycle. Apply by January 15 for Fall admission.
Current Students
Current Students
Ellen J. Reat (Ph.D. in progress, 2016-present): M.S. Indiana University, B.S. Vanderbilt University. Closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean, Mongolia
Gabriela St. Pierre (Ph.D. in progress, 2014-present): B.S. New Mexico State University.NSF-Graduate Research Fellow.
Regional correlations and sequence stratigraphy, Straight Cliffs Formation
Alex Koch (M.S. in progress, 2015-present): B.S. University of North Carolina-Wilmington.
Fluvial architecture and paleomorphodynamic analysis, John Henry Member, southern Utah
Tsolmon Adiya (M.S. in progress, 2015-present): B.S. Mongolian University of Science and Technology.
Cretaceous lake systems of Western Mongolia: stratigraphic evolution and petroleum implications
Former Students
(initial post-grad placements are noted but not updated regularly)
Graduates
Mary A. Milner, M.S. (2002-2004). B.S. University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Characteristics and implications of the San Jose-Nacimiento Formation contact, Tertiary San Juan basin, NM. Formerly Terra-Tek/Schlumberger; now at McDonald and Miller Legal Mineral Services (Salt Lake City, UT).
Jessica Moore, M.S. (2003-2005). B.S. University of Utah.
3-D Stratigraphic architecture and sequence stratigraphy of marginal lacustrine strata in the Eocene Green River Formation, Utah. Geology & Geophysics Outstanding M.S. student (2005); President of AWG (2008). Chevron (Bakersfield, CA).
Sam Hudson, Ph.D. (2004-2008). B.S. University of Utah; M.S. Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Deciphering the early evolution of the Caspian Sea: Chemical characterization of the Cenozoic mudstones of Azerbaijan. Geology and Geophysics Outstanding Ph.D. student (2008). Formerly Conoco-Phillips (Houston, TX); now Asst. Prof., BYU (Provo, UT).
Vaughn Thompson, M.S. (2007-2009). B.S. Nelson Mandela Technical Univ., South Africa. Potential-field and 2D seismic analysis of a volcanic rifted margin: implications for crustal architecture and petroleum maturation off the west coast of South Africa. Occidental (Bakersfield, CA).
Jessica Allen, Ph.D. (2005-2009). B.S. Univ. of Pennsylvania, M.S. Univ. of Georgia.
Transgressive-regressive cycles in a high accommodation setting, John Henry Member, Straight Cliffs Formation: Implications for facies architecture and sequence stratigraphy. Geology and Geophysics Outstanding Ph.D. student (2009). Chevron (Houston, TX).
William Gallin, M.S. (2007-2010). B.S. Carleton College.
Fluvial stratigraphic architecture of the John Henry Member of the Straight Cliffs Formation, Kaiparowits Plateau, Utah, USA. Geology and Geophysics Outstanding M.S. student (2010). Hess (Houston, TX).
Jared Gooley, M.S. (2008-2010). B.S. Miami University of Ohio.
Alluvial Architecture and Predictive Modeling of the Late Cretaceous John Henry Member, Straight Cliffs Formation, Southern Utah. Chevron (Houston, TX). Now pursuing Ph.D. at Stanford University
Matthew Heumann, Ph.D. (2006-2010). B.S., M.S. Syracuse University.
Paleozoic-Cenozoic Evolution of the East Gobi Fault Zone, Southern Mongolia: A Protracted Record of Intracontinental Deformation and Basin Evolution, with Implications for Tectonics of Eurasia. Geology and Geophysics Outstanding Ph.D. student (2010). ConocoPhillips (Houston, TX).
Angela Kennedy, M.S. (2009-2011). B.S. University of Texas, Arlington.
Geologic predictors of the hydrocarbon extraction potential of the Mancos Shale. ConocoPhillips (Houston, TX).
Ian Semple, M.S. (2009-2011). B.S. Syracuse University.
High resolution sequence stratigraphy of the lower Straight Cliffs Formation, southern Utah. Schlumberger (global).
Nora Nieminsky, B.S. (2011). B.S. University of Utah Honors College.
Undergraduate Thesis. Geologic Guide to Range Creek Canyon, Utah. Ph.D. program at Stanford University, Geological and Environmental Sciences (Stanford, CA).
Megan Crocker, M.S. (2010-2012). B.S. Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Paleoclimatic Indicators in the Triassic Chinle Formation, Paria River, Utah. TerraTek/Schlumberger (Utah) then Chaparral Energy (Oklahoma).
Patrick Dooling, M.S. (2010-2012). B.S. Pennsylvania State University.
Tidal facies, stratigraphic architecture, and along-strike variability of a high energy, transgressive shoreline, Upper Cretaceous, Kaiparowits Plateau, southern Utah. ConocoPhillips (Houston, TX).
Luke Pettinga, M.S. (2010-2012). B.S. Calvin College.
Alluvial architecture and paleomorphdynamics of the Upper Cretaceous John Henry Member, Straight Cliffs Formation, Kaiparowits Plateau, Utah. ConocoPhillips (Houston, TX). Now pursuing Ph.D. at Colorado School of Mines.
Tyler Szwarc, M.S. (2011-2013). B.S. Bucknell University.
Interactions between axial and transverse drainage systems in the Late Cretaceous Cordilleran foreland basin: Evidence from detrital zircons in the Straight Cliffs Formation, southern Utah. Chevron (Houston, TX).
Brenton Chentnik, M.S. (2012-2014). B.S. Purdue University.
Valleys, estuaries, and lagoons: Paleoenvironments and regressive-transgressive architecture of the Upper Cretaceous Straight Cliffs Fm. ConocoPhillips (Houston, TX).
Ryan Purcell, M.S. (2012-2015). B.S. Miami University of Ohio.
Stratigraphic evolution of an estuarine fill succession, and reservoir characterization of inclined heterolithic strata, Cretaceous of southern Utah, USA. Anadarko (Houston, TX).
Daniel Hobbs, M.S. (2013-2015). B.S. Middlebury College. Co-advised with L. Birgenheier.
Unconventional petroleum system analysis using a 3-D basin model: Mancos Shale, Uinta basin, Utah.
Jonathan Primm, M.S. (2013-2016). B.S. University of Georgia.
Decoupled accommodation and sediment supply in the Late Cretaceous Cordilleran foreland basin of southern Utah: An extrabasinal affair.
Julia Mulhern, Ph.D. (2012-2016). B.S. Wesleyan University.
Time-space variability of paralic depositional environments: emphasis on barrier island preservation and paleomorphodynamics. Department Outstanding Ph.D. student, 2016. UU Graduate Research Fellow (2015-2016) and UU University TA (2014-2015).
Shell (New Orleans, LA).
Students