Prof. Ethan Baxter 

I am a geochemist interested in the broad processes occurring within and between the Earth’s crust, mantle, and surface. An interest in unraveling the history of the Earth, as well as predicting certain aspects of its future, is at the heart of much of the research going on in my group. By studying the vast geological record, we interpret the chemistry of diverse Earth materials (rocks, minerals, sediments, and more) to elucidate the timescales, rates, and mechanisms of broad and interdependent geological processes.

Key Research Themes: tectonics, metamorphism, subduction, global geochemical cycles, lithosphere-hydrosphere-atmosphere interactions.

Prof. Corinne Wong 

I use environmental isotopes to reconstruct past climate

Prof. Jeremy Shakun

I use cave formations and ocean sediments to study past climate

Mike Tappa

Dr. Steph Walker

I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Centre for Isotope Geochemistry at Boston College. My research interests lie in the use of isotope geochemistry, and particularly geochronology, to understand the rates, processes, and mechanisms involved in metamorphism and orogenesis. Integrating geochemistry, structural geology, petrology, and field work, I am currently interested in the Himalayan and Caledonian orogens.

 

Key Research Themes: tectonics, metamorphism, orogenesis, isotope geochemistry

Dr. Paul Starr

Brittany Ward

I am currently completing a MSc with Prof. Corinne Wong here at Boston College. My research aims to understand the variability South American hydroclimate during the Holocene (the last ~12,000 years). I use speleothems (calcium carbonate cave deposits) from Brazilian caves as archives of South America’s past climate. In the CIG@BC I utilize our TIMS to measure the 87Sr/86Sr values of speleothems, cave dripwater, bedrock, and soil.

 

Key Research Themes: Climate variability, speleothem and karst research, isotope geochemistry

Anna Gerrits

I am a current Masters candidate at Boston College completing a MSc with Professor Ethan Baxter. My research focuses on redox changes and iron isotope fractionation due to the release of oxidizing fluids during subduction. This research has allowed me to conduct fieldwork in Italy and Switzerland, lab work at Boston College and Durham University (UK), and to learn more about processes within our Earth.

 

Key Research Themes: Redox changes in the solid Earth, iron isotopes, subduction, metamorphic petrology

Thomas Farrell

I am a Masters candidate at Boston College working with Prof. Ethan Baxter. I have research interests in a wide variety of deep earth processes, more specifically, the timing and rates of metamorphism and deformation during orogenesis. I am currently using Sm-Nd garnet geochronology to investigate the link between microscale deformation and changes in relative plate motion in the Betic-Rif Cordillera region of southern Spain and northern Morocco.

 

Key Research Themes: Structural geology, metamorphism, isotope geochemistry, orogenesis