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Jacob Benner

Distinguished Lecturer & Laboratory Coordinator
He/him
865-974-6013, jbenner@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Paleontology, Sedimentary Geology

Research Interests: Ichnology and paleoecology

Meilian (Maggie) Chen

Teaching Assistant Professor and Laboratory Coordinator
mchen51@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geochemistry

Research Interests: My research interests in environmental biogeochemistry focus on dynamics of dissolved organic matter in inland waters, coastal ecosystems, polar oceans, and sediments.

Stephanie K. Drumheller

Teaching Associate Professor
she/her
865-974-2366, sdrumhel@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Paleontology, Paleobiology

Research Interests: My research interests center on taphonomy, ichnology, paleopathology, and paleoecology, especially as applied to understanding the evolution and behaviors of archosaurs.

William Dunne

Professor, Assoc. Dean
865-974-4161, wdunne@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Structural Geology

Research Interests: Mesoscopic and Microscopic Structures in Sedimentary and Low-Grade Metamorphic Rocks

Nicholas Dygert

Associate Professor
he/him/his
865-974-6022, ndygert1@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Petrology, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I use field investigations, experiments, and numerical models to understand processes that shape the evolution of planetary interiors and crusts, and to interpret their expressions in the rock record. My focus is the Earth and Moon.

Chris Fedo

Professor
he/him/his
865-974-6002, cfedo@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Climate Change, Geochemistry, Planetary Geoscience, Sedimentary Geology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Research Interests: I study clastic sediments and sedimentary rocks in order to interpret planetary surface processes including weathering, transport, sedimentary environments, stratigraphy, and lithification.

Terry C. Hazen

Governor’s Chair for Environmental Biotechnology
865-974-8080, tchazen@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Geomicrobiology, Hydrogeology, Environmental Science

Research Interests: Environmental Microbiology; Systems Biology approach to Bioremediation, Bioenergy and Water Quality

Dan Hembree

Professor
he, him, his
865-974-3788, dhembre2@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Climate Change, Paleontology, Paleobiology, Sedimentary Geology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Research Interests: Use of ichnology and paleopedology to study the evolution of ancient to modern soils, soil ecosystems, and landscapes as well as evaluating the effect of long-term climate change on terrestrial ecosystems through Earth history.

Shichun Huang

Associate Professor
he/him/his
865-974-8347, shuang25@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Geochemistry, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I use elemental and isotopic tracers, together with petrology and mineralogy, to study the Earth’s mantle and the early Solar System.

Robert Jacobsen

Teaching Assistant Professor
rjacobse@vols.utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Geoscience Education, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: Evidence-based teaching practices for large classrooms, graduate student professional development, K-12 STEM education and outreach

Linda Kah

Kenneth R. Walker Professor
865-974-6399, lckah@utk.edu

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Geochemistry, Geomicrobiology, Paleobiology, Planetary Geoscience, Sedimentary Geology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Research Interests: My lab integrates sedimentology, geochemistry, and paleobiology to understand planetary biospheres. We explore rock fabrics and geochemical data to understand the evolution of the early Earth, and investigate potential habitable environments on Mars.

Chelsea Mackaman-Lofland

Assistant Professor
she/her/hers
cmackama@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Structural Geology and Tectonics

Research Interests: I combine fundamental skills in structural geology with a variety of field, analytical, and modeling techniques to explore the relationships among crustal deformation, topographic evolution, subsidence, and lithospheric dynamics.

Molly McCanta

Professor
she/her/hers
865-974-6003, mmccanta@utk.edu

Research Discipline: Geochemistry, Petrology, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I am an igneous petrologist whose research is focused on the mineralogic record of magma storage regions conditions and eruptive processes on Earth and other terrestrial bodies.

Michael McKinney

Professor
865-974-6359, mmckinne@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Environmental Science

Research Interests: Urban ecology: maximizing biodiversity and ecosystem services on green roofs and green infrastructure, urban invasive species, microplastic pollution. Freshwater mussels and snails: relocation success metrics.

Jeff Moersch

Professor
865-974-0371, jmoersch@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: Planetary surfaces; Unmanned spacecraft exploration of the Solar System; Remote Sensing; Terrestrial analogs for planetary surfaces; Instrument development; Exploration science and methodology.

Anner Paldor

Assistant Professor, Don Jones Hydrogeology Endowed Professorship
apaldor@utk.edu

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Environmental Science, Hydrogeology

Research Interests: I study the dynamics and the environmental implications of groundwater interactions with other components of the hydrologic cycle. I am interested in how these interactions change with time and space – from headwaters to coasts and the oceans.

Amelia (Amy) Robinson

Teaching Assistant Professor
she/her
865-974-8340, arobins5@utk.edu
Website

Research Interests: Geochemistry and Hydrogeology

Lluís Saló-Salgado

Assistant Professor, Barbara McDonald Endowed Professorship in Energy Transition
salo@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Geophysics, Hydrogeology, Energy Transition Geoscience

Research Interests: I conduct computational and experimental research at the intersection of geology, flow in porous media, and geomechanics to mitigate geohazards and address outstanding scientific challenges related to energy development in complex subsurface systems.

Manuel Scharrer

Assistant Professor, David Mcdonald Endowed Professorship in Critical Minerals
865-974-0402, mscharre@utk.edu

Research Discipline: Critical Minerals, Geochemistry, Petrology

Research Interests: Manuel studies critical minerals using experimental thermodynamics, petrology, and geochemistry. He focuses on rare earth minerals and non-oxides to model ore formation and support sustainable resource and materials development.

Gregory A. Snyder

Teaching Assistant Professor
865-974-3665, gsnyde10@utk.edu
Website

Research Interests: Geochemistry

Alycia L Stigall

Department Head and Jones/Bibee Professor
she/her
865-974-5499, stigall@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Paleontology, Paleobiology

Research Interests: Paleoecology, biogeography, and speciation; invasive species in the fossil record; Ordovician marine ecosystems; brachiopods; broadening participation in science

Colin D Sumrall

Associate Professor
He Him
865-974-0400, csumrall@utk.edu

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Paleontology, Paleobiology

Research Interests: I use field investigations, phylogenetic methods and morphological analysis to understand the timing, nature and ecology of echinoderm evolution and the origin of modern taxa.

Anna Szynkiewicz

Associate Professor
865-974-6006, aszynkie@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Environmental Science, Geochemistry, Hydrogeology, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I am a geologist and stable isotope geochemist using chemical and light isotope tracers to study surface processes related to water activity on Earth and Mars. I also investigate the origin of sulfur-bearing minerals on Mars.

Bradley Thomson

Assistant Professor
he/him
865-974-2699, bthom@utk.edu
Website

Research Discipline: Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: As a planetary geologist, I am interested in understanding the physical processes that have shaped the surfaces of the terrestrial planets, including impact, eolian, fluvial, lacustrine, and volcanic processes.