Meet The Team
PI
Troy Rasbury
I am an isotope geochemist. I have specialized in U-Pb dating of carbonates. I am currently working on U-Pb dating of fluorite. In addition to isotope analyses I value petrography and synchrotron XRF imaging to better understand U incorportion in minerals. I also work with boron isotopes in rocks, waters and plants.
PI
Guleed Ali
I am a geologist that is working to understand Earth’s climate system. My attention has been mostly captured by the time spanning the last glacial termination. This 10,000-year-long interval presents the most recent example of how the natural climate system can abruptly recast global water availability and temperature. I am currently mapping and dating these climate changes across the North American Cordillera.
Research Scientist
Carrie Wright
I am a bioanthropologist and archaeological scientist. My research is focused on understanding past human lives through the analysis of mineralized tissue samples (bone and teeth) using biogeochemistry (calcium and strontium isotope analysis). I am also working to better understand boron isotope environmental systematics (seaweeds, soils, plants, and mammals), and to assess the potential of boron isotope analysis to be a tool for archaeological research..
Ph.D Student, Geology
Kevin Hatton
My research focuses on the combination of U-Pb dating of carbonates with Clumped Isotope analyses in Greg Henkes lab. These analyses aim to answer questions related to Li enrichment in the McDermitt Caldera, Nevada, a period of increased rifting activity in the Turkana basin, Kenya, and broadly looking into the timing of extension within the Southwest US.
Ph.D Student
Melissa Passik
My research focuses on using boron isotopes as a way to gauge uptake and utilization of this essential micronutrient in agronomically important legumes such as Medicago sativa (AKA alfalfa), and more recently Medicago truncatula, an ancient ancestor to alfalfa. Experiments take place in both real-world farm settings, and under controlled laboratory conditions, and seek to further expand on boron’s role in legumes and mechanisms behind its uptake, which are both poorly understood concepts. Ultimately, the goal of my research is to ascertain crop response and enhance productivity under a range of environmental boron supply.
Ph.D Student
Anastasia Iorga
I am an archaeologist interested in landscape use by humans and animals and addressing archaeological questions with isotopic analysis. My dissertation research is focused on characterizing past marshland exploitation using a multi-isotope approach. I am also conducting research to examine diagenesis of strontium isotopes in faunal material from Ur.
Ph.D Student
Jack Dotzler
I am a sedimentary biogeochemist at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in the Wehrmann and Aller labs. My research focuses on elemental fluxes, specifically Si and Li, in the sediment of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. I am using pore water isotope analyses of Li and Si to track forward and reverse weathering processes along the fjord system. This is interesting to me since fjords represent a key interface between glacial meltwater and the ocean, which is being altered biogeochemically by climate change.
Undergraduate researcher
Caroline Rapp
Hi, my name is Caroline Rapp, I am from Buffalo, NY. I am an undergraduate geology major in the Honors College at Stony Brook University. I am interested in natural disaster relief efforts and climate research, and I plan to continue my career in geosciences after graduating. I am currently researching U-Pb dating of fluorite samples in the southwest United States, under Troy Rasbury.
Undergraduate researcher
Natalie Lehmann
Hello! My name is Natalie. I am an undergraduate student majoring in geology with a minor in environmental studies. I am currently researching U-Pb dating on fluorite samples from mines off the west coast under Troy Rasbury. In the future, I hope to work with a company who specializes in sampling and testing groundwater, air, and soil for contaminants at worksites, etc.
Undergraduate researcher
Sydney Hennessy
Hello! My name is Sydney Hennessy. I am a senior with a major in Marine Sciences and a minor in Geology in the Honors College at Stony Brook University. I am the president of the Crew Team on Campus. I am currently researching U-Pb dating of fluorite samples in the southwest United States, under Troy Rasbury.
Undergraduate researcher
Lydia Varghese
Hi everyone! My name is Lydia Varghese and I am a Junior at StonyBrook University majoring in Biology BS and minoring in Women and Gender’s Studies. Although my goal is to become a pediatrician, I’ve always had an interest in Environmental Studies. My high school teacher loved researching about the environment and she always planned our lessons to be based around environmental research. I’ve decided to follow that path in my undergraduate year because it was something I was deeply interested in. Can’t wait to see what we will uncover!