Research Areas & Opportunities

Below is a list of current research projects listed by individual faculty.

Metamorphic Petrology and Geochemistry
F.S. Spear

Inorganic and Igneous Experimental Geochemistry
E. B. Watson

Isotopic and Organic Geochemistry
T. Abrajano

Environmental and Freshwater Geochemistry
R.F. Bopp

Lithosphere Dynamics and Tectonophysics
R. McCaffrey

Paleoceanography and Micropaleontology
M.E. Katz

Research Areas

Environmental Geoscience

Freshwater and sediment environmental chemistry and hydrology

Our department has pioneered the use of chemical and isotopic markers to characterize the deposition of sediments and the effects of human development on these systems. We also are involved in characterizing sources, transport, and degradation of pollutants in surface and groundwater environments, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), common solvents, fuel products and additives, and other petroleum hydrocarbons.

Rensselaer is actively involved in monitoring and resolving environmental issues within the region. The institute was recently selected by New York Governor George Pataki to manage the Upper Hudson Satellite Center that will be part of the Rivers & Estuaries Center on the Hudson River.

Principle Investigators: Richard Bopp and Jun Abrajano

Graduate Student: Mary Abercrombie and Monica Blunt

Biogeochemistry

Rensselaer has a long history of researching the interaction of microbes, organic compounds, and earth materials. Current work examines the sources and pathways of biogenic compounds to examine carbon and sulfur pathways in aquatic environments.

Principle Investigators: Jun Abrajano and Henry Ehrlich (Emeritus, Biology)

Abrajano Research Info

Geochemistry of the Earth's Interior

Experimental Geochemistry

Our department remains a leader in fundamental research on mass transport within the earth through experimental characterization. Foremost is our work on the diffusion of geochemically significant elements within common rock-forming minerals. Most significantly, our work provides important constrains to geochronologists and petrologists, permitting them to more accurately date geologic events and determine their origins. We also continue to evaluate the nature of fluid transport within the crust and upper mantle, the development of microstructure within rocks, and the partitioning of elements during crystal growth.

Principle Investigators: Bruce Watson, David Wark, Daniele Cherniak, Jay Thomas, and Jon Price

Graduate Student: Dustin Trail and Lingbo Xing  

Research Info

Metamorphic Petrology and Thermochemistry

Our department is instrumental in providing some of the most powerful computational tools and evaluation techniques required to interpret the complicated nature of metamorphic reactions within the earth. We are evaluating the thermodynamics of common metamorphic mineral assemblages, characterizing crystal growth and compositional changes, and developing analytical techniques to determine the ages of metamorphic events. These constrain the geologic history of a number of regions, including New England, the Adirondacks of New York, the Caledonides of Norway, and Greece.

Principle Investigators: Frank Spear and Joe Pyle

Graduate Students: Ben Hallett

Research Info

Solid-Earth Geophysics

Seismic characterization and processing

Our department is at the forefront of using new seismological techniques to resolve the structure of the crust and mantle,and their dynamics. Through careful and novel manipulation of seismic data, we are providing new insights into the composition and heterogeneity of the Earth, and the underlying structure of the deep subsurface. We are applying these techniques to a number of diverse areas, including the Tien Shan Mountains (China), the San Andreas Fault, the Adirondacks, Yucca Mountain, Taiwan, and Central Asia.

Principle Investigators: Steve Roecker and Guo-Chin "Dino" Huang

Research Info

Lithosphere Dynamics

Researchers within our department are utilizing the accuracy of the Global Positioning System to evaluate the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates, determine the forces driving these movements, and predict their role in future geological hazards, such as earthquakes and volcanism. Through the use of computer simulations, we are modeling crustal dynamics, particularly the complex nature of subduction zone tectonics. We recently used these methods to determine the rotational movement of the crust beneath Oregon and Washington and the nature of ongoing deformation in Indonesia.

Principle Investigators: Rob McCaffrey and Charles Williams