Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Showing 91-100 of 138 Results
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Mark Nikolic
Postdoctoral Scholar, Earth and Planetary Sciences
BioI study large scale processes of evolution through earth history using the fossil record. In doing so, I make use of computational and phylogenetic approaches along with large datasets. I also lead the History of Life and Biodiversity summer internship through the Stanford Young Investigators program. Aside from fossils, I'm also a big fan of riding my bike and disco music.
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Ayla Pamukcu
Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI have long been fascinated by magmas and volcanic eruptions, for reasons ranging from purely academic (trying to understand the magmatic construction of Earth’s crust) to purely practical (developing effective monitoring and mitigation strategies for volcanic eruptions). Consequently, my research revolves around understanding how, when, where, and why magmas are stored, evolve, and ultimately do (or do not!) erupt.
Within this context, I focus on two main themes: (1) the temporal, chemical, and physical, evolution of magmas, and (2) the interplay between magma storage conditions in the crust and magmatic processes. I employ a multi-faceted approach to explore these topics, integrating data from multiple scales and perspectives; my studies capitalize on information contained in field relations, crystal and melt inclusion textures (sizes, shapes, positions), crystal and volcanic glass geochemistry, geochronology, phase-equilibria and numerical modeling, and experiments. As a function of this approach, I am also engaged in the development of novel methods to address petrologic problems in new, better, and more refined ways than is currently possible.
A major focus of my research has been on supereruptions – gigantic explosive eruptions the likes of which we have never seen in recorded human history – but I am continually exploring other kinds of magmatic systems. I am currently particularly interested in the links (or lack thereof) between extrusive (i.e., erupted) and intrusive (i.e., unerupted) magmas, similarities/differences between large- and small-volume eruptions, and similarities/differences between magmas generated at different levels of the crust. I have also had a longstanding interest in the interactions and relationships between humans and their geologic surroundings (particularly volcanoes). -
Nidhi Utkarshbhai Patel
Ph.D. Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Autumn 2023
BioPlants display enormous diversity of forms today that, have evolved over geological timescales after plants successfully colonized land. Currently, I am interested in learning more about evolutionary changes in plant structures including specialized reproductive organs of seed plants. I study plant fossil record from deep time and living plants with the aim to develop a better understanding of origins of plant reproductive structures and drivers of morphological evolution in plants. Previously, I have looked at spore-pollen record preserved in sedimentary rocks from Canada. These microscopic fossils and their distribution in space and time can help us elucidate the response of vegetation to past extinction events.
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Jonathan Payne
Dorrell William Kirby Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and Professor, by courtesy, of Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy goal in research is to understand the interaction between environmental change and biological evolution using fossils and the sedimentary rock record. How does environmental change influence evolutionary and ecological processes? And conversely, how do evolutionary and ecological changes affect the physical environment? I work primarily on the marine fossil record over the past 550 million years.
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Eliane Petersohn
Ph.D. Student in Geological Sciences, admitted Autumn 2022
BioI grew up in Curitiba, a city in southern Brazil, and, moved to Rio de Janeiro to join the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) years ago.
I have a strong grasp of the oil and gas industry, where I have been working for more than 15 years. I have a bachelor’s and master's degree in geology from the Federal University of Parana, Brazil and, I have become a public servant of the ANP, where I have held different technical and managerial positions. I spent these past 15 years working on the ANP’s large-scale strategic projects, conducting a geological evaluation for Brazil’s bidding rounds, and developing a multiyear geological and geophysical data acquisition plan for the Agency. I was also responsible for coordinating the first phase of the onerous assignment process, which authorized the Brazilian Government to onerously assign to NOC Petrobras up to 5 billion barrels of oil. I have also been directly involved in the location of two wells, which discovered two of the country's largest oil fields (Buzios and Mero fields). As a geologist researcher, my main objective aims at acquiring capabilities and developing the knowledge required to manage reservoirs to maximize oil recovery and extend the lifespan of oil fields as well as acquire a solid understanding of oil reservoir management to bring innovative knowledge to Brazil and help create guidelines to monitor oil field development and production in my country. -
Mia Maria Pique
Ph.D. Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Autumn 2026
Masters Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Summer 2024BioI grew up outside Chicago and moved west to attend Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. Through NAU’s Interdisciplinary Global Program and Honors College, I earned a Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and a Bachelor of Art in Spanish, with an emphasis in Global Science and Engineering. Studying geology among the landscapes of the American Southwest first inspired me to think deeply about Earth processes and the relationships among geology, communities and the environments in which we live.
My undergraduate education extended far beyond Flagstaff. I lived in Tucumán, Argentina, where I studied geology in Spanish at the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. I then completed an internship at the Instituto Geofísico of Ecuador’s Escuela Politécnica Nacional, where I studied the eruptive behavior of Reventador Volcano and conducted fieldwork in the Amazon Basin. I later continued my research through the University of Queensland’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences in Australia, studying diamonds as a tool to understand mantle behavior. These experiences taught me the importance of understanding science through international, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives.
Before coming to Stanford, I moved to San Francisco and worked in geotechnical engineering, where I applied my geologic background to real-world challenges involving Earth materials and infrastructure.
I am now a graduate student in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Stanford, working with Professor Tiziana Vanorio at the intersection of geology, rock physics, geophysics and engineering. My M.S. research in Professor Vanorio's lab investigates how carbon-rich byproducts from methane pyrolysis can be incorporated into cementitious materials, creating a productive use for an emerging industrial byproduct.
As I develop my P.h.D research, I am interested in expanding my knowledge of rare earth elements, including their occurrence as primary deposits in rocks and minerals, their behavior within mineral structures and their importance to emerging energy technologies. I hope to explore how geology, geophysics and engineering can contribute to the responsible characterization and use of these critical resources. More broadly, I hope to strengthen resource security by reducing dependence on geographically concentrated supply chains.
Beyond my research, I love thinking about how science, mentorship, creativity, communication and people all fit together. I am interested not only in asking, “How do we conduct meaningful and impactful research?” but also, “How do we build better scientists and strong scientific communities? How can we use education and knowledge as tools for a better world? ” I believe scientific progress is strongest when it is interdisciplinary, collaborative, creative and grounded in care for both people and the planet.
