Hannah Rigoni Explores Cave and Aquifer Dwelling Organisms

Hannah Rigoni Explores Cave and Aquifer Dwelling Organisms

PhD student Hannah Rigoni and her advisor, Professor Annette Engel, are working to shed light on cave and aquifer dwelling organisms and their interactions with groundwater geochemistry and microbial communities.

Karst groundwater aquifers provide drinking water to billions of people worldwide, but they are vulnerable to pollution. Aquifers are home to stygobionts—groundwater dwelling fauna—that aid in maintaining water quality by consuming microbial and surface-derived organic matter. Microbial communities in aquifers depend on both surface-derived organic nutrients and inorganic nutrients from water-rock interactions. Despite the global importance of karst aquifers, the relationship between stygobiont communities to groundwater geochemistry and microbial diversity, and their possible utility as water quality indicators, is unknown.

With two highly biodiverse study sites, the Dinaric Karst in Croatia and the Edwards Aquifer in Texas, Rigoni is using geochemical and molecular biological sequencing techniques (including amplicon sequencing, lipidomics, and metagenomics) to characterize groundwater chemistry, microbial community diversity and metabolic processes across these spatially extensive aquifers. These methods provide a foundation to characterize the food-web interactions between stygobionts and microbial communities.

Rigoni has so far uncovered microbial metabolic processes tied to nitrogen, carbon, and methane cycling in both aquifers. In the Dinaric Karst, she has quantified the contribution of microbial biomass produced from ammonia- and methane-oxidizers to stygobiont diets. With as much as 50% of the stygobionts food coming from microbial sources, Rigoni’s research emphasizes the importance of prioritizing water quality maintenance to ensure the survival of endangered stygobionts and the microbial communities on which they rely.

This research makes a scientific case for stygobiont conservation and management of groundwater resources that are an essential resource for many people across the world.

Catie Caterham Studies Sedimentology in the Bahamas and Italy

Catie Caterham Studies Sedimentology in the Bahamas and Italy

Most of Catie Caterham’s friends and family assume that she decided to pursue a graduate degree in geology because of her passion for the subject.

“While that is true, I am certainly not going to argue about the free vacations,” said Caterham. “Carbonate rock, in particular, leads to some of the world’s most beautiful destinations—pink sand beaches, snorkeling—all in the name of science of course!”

This summer she had the privilege of traveling to two idyllic locations: San Salvador Island, Bahamas, and Sardinia, Italy. Caterham’s advisor, Professor Linda Kah, found an opportunity to send their lab group to the Gerace Research Center for a one-week course run by AIPG and the University of Kentucky.

“San Salvador Island is a dream destination for a carbonate sedimentologist,” said Caterham. “The island is surrounded by modern reefs and pink sand beaches while the island interior is comprised of a series of inland lakes, and outcrops of older beach and reef facies. As an avid SCUBA diver, I was quite partial to the daily snorkeling. However, nothing will quite top the experience of observing the modern stromatolites of Storrs Lake with my own eyes—and squishing them with my own feet! The amount of extracellular polymeric substances (microbial mucus) was amazing.”

Her second field trip of the summer was to Iglesias, a mining town in southwestern Sardinia, Italy. This trip was less vacation and more work, as she was there to collect samples from the Cambrian-aged calcimicrobial and archaeocyathid reef complexes to search for herringbone carbonate.

Sara Shields Studies Astrobiology in Spain

Sara Shields Studies Astrobiology in Spain

Sara Shields is a third-year PhD student working with Associate Professor Anna Szynkiewicz to study environmental processes controlling the formation of evaporitic salts and microbial activity in dry and nutrient depleted settings on both Earth and Mars.

This past summer, Shields successfully applied for a 2023 scholarship to the International Summer School in Astrobiology held yearly in Santander, Spain. The Josep Comas i Solà International Astrobiology Summer School is co-sponsored by the NASA Astrobiology Program and the Centro de Astrobiologia.

This year’s school focused on icy ocean world investigations and provided lectures from international experts, opportunity for peer-to-peer round table discussions, and development of student projects. In addition, the school provided an opportunity for the students to visit the Astroland Interplanetary agency, the Altamira Museum to see and learn about Paleolithic cave art, and to El Soplao caves, which is a site of astrobiological interest. 

The Astrobiology Summer School lectures focused on ocean worlds orbiting giant planets in our solar system including Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede, and Titan as key astrobiological targets for future exploration by both NASA and ESA missions.

Lectures were provided by outstanding international experts including Morgan Cable from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Shannon MacKenzie from the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Olga Prieto Ballesteros from El Centro de Astrobiología, and Nicolas Altobelli from the European Space Agency. Overviews of icy ocean world surfaces and future missions from an astrobiological perspective along with reviews of current laboratory and analog field work allowed students to create ideas for collaborative future projects.

Aidan Littleton Has a Passion for Paleontology

Aidan Littleton Has a Passion for Paleontology

Aidan Littleton is a junior with a passion for paleontology. Relatedly, he began working with faculty on paleontology projects during his sophomore year and has conducted research in the Stigall and Sumrall labs with plans to continue engaging with additional faculty in the diverse UT paleontology group.

During summer 2023, Littleton was supported by Faculty Research Assistants Funding (FRAF) to conduct research in Department Head Alycia Stigall’s lab. His project focused on comparing the shallow marine community structure before and after the Richmondian Invasion, a dramatic species invasion event in the Late Ordovician that is preserved in the strata around Cincinnati, Ohio, and Nashville.

Though this event is well-studied around Cincinnati, Littleton’s work was the first quantitative comparison of community change across this event in Nashville and represents a critical early step in a larger project in the Stigall Lab. He conducted field, lab, and quantitative analyses for this project, which he presented as a poster at the Annual Geological Society of America Meeting in Pittsburgh this past October. 

Littleton is presently working with Associate Professor Colin Sumrall’s group on fossil echinoderm evolution.

“The research which I am currently involved in with Sumrall deals with determining the faunal diversity of ophiuroids (brittle stars) and how their diversity changes across the Carboniferous Period, from the Colony Creek Shale in Texas,” said Littleton. “To do so, the lateral arm plates of brittle stars, which line the exterior of the animal’s limbs, are isolated from samples sourced from multiple stratigraphic layers representing different sections of time. These arm plates are identified to which taxon they belong and counted for abundance. However, quite a few taxa in our dataset are new to science and have yet to be named! For these, we use placeholder names. One such unnamed specimen from Colony Creek shows persistent dominance and has been classified as the ‘smooth modern’ type, while other less common taxa such as Furcaster and Suchaster occur in lower abundances.”

Lauren Pinkard Receives Jimmy Walls Award

Lauren Pinkard Receives Jimmy Walls Award

Lauren Pinkard is an undergraduate whose impact is felt not only within the department but also in the city of Knoxville. As an environmental studies major with a minor in sustainable landscape design, her passion for science is a defining thread in her academic and professional journey.

After consulting with her instructor, Lecturer Robert Jacobsen, Pinkard embarked on a summer internship. Her research explored the perceptions, interests, and expectations of students in introductory geology and environmental studies courses. Surveying approximately 900 students across five introductory courses, she unearthed a common desire among them: to explore careers that contribute to the betterment of the environment, society, and business.

Pinkard came to EPS in spring 2023 when she enrolled in Geology 101. Her academic excellence was quickly recognized, and she earned the Jimmy Walls Award for excellence in physical geology.

These findings align with the geoscience education literature that emphasize students’ aspirations to make a meaningful impact in the world. Pinkard culminated her internship with an impressive presentation at the university’s Discovery Day, an annual symposium celebrating undergraduate research.

Reflecting on her time in the department, Pinkard praises the faculty’s unwavering commitment and enthusiasm in aiding students to achieve their academic goals and experiences.

Beyond the academic realm, she has begun working with the Knoxville community, serving as an apprentice at the Muse Knoxville, an award-winning children’s science museum. This role perfectly complements her mission to introduce young minds to the captivating world of STEAM.

“These experiences have made me more passionate about teaching individuals about the career opportunities available in STEAM,” she said.

As she begins her new position at the Muse Knoxville, Pinkard will undoubtedly be an inspiration for young minds exploring the wonders of science.

Julie Paque Receives College Philanthropist Award

Alumna Julie Paque Receives Philanthropy Award

The College Philanthropist Award is the epitome of the extraordinary impact that volunteer service and philanthropic giving can have on our college. 

Julie Paque (’79) received her bachelor’s of science degree in geology. She was accepted into the doctoral program at the California Institute of Technology and worked as a research scientist at Caltech studying trace elements in meteorites. Her scientific career directly utilized her degree and brings honor to the College of Arts and Sciences. She even gave her name to a newly described mineral, a calcium-titanium-aluminum silicate called paqueite. 

While working as a research scientist, Paque supported her alma mater faithfully for 31 years, primarily giving to the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and recently, honoring her long time mentor by establishing the Dr. Hap McSween Fellowship in Earth and Planetary Sciences.

“Residing far away in California, it would have been easy for Julie to forget her undergraduate roots at the University of Tennessee; but through the decades she has donated consistently to the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences,” wrote McSween in his letter supporting her nomination. “Julie has discouraged personal recognition for her philanthropy, and perhaps even for her scientific achievements. She is a remarkable scientist, just now past the apex of her career, and her life’s work reflects positively on her undergraduate education at UT. When Julie was a student here, science as a profession was not as supportive of women as it is now, and there were not many women geology majors – a situation which has now improved considerably. Our institution should also appreciate her as an early role model for women in science.”

The impact of her philanthropy is significant to the department and the university’s quest to retain and support its best faculty. Chris Fedo, the current Hap McSween Fellow, has been able to use endowment funds to further his research program involving both master’s and doctoral students engaged in understanding depositional environments on Mars, specifically related to aspects of the Mars Science Lab mission.

“Dr. Fedo has also used the funds to conduct studies of weathering processes on rocks in analogous environments on Earth, such as lake and delta systems in the southern California and Nevada region,” said Alycia Stigall, head of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. “The availability of these funds has greatly enhanced the training and scientific achievements of students within Dr. Fedo’s research group.”

In her acceptance speech, Paque shared how a girl from Wisconsin ended up in Tennessee in 1976. During the 1960s, her mom taught at the Aramark School of Arts and Crafts almost every summer, which meant her family vacations were in Gatlinburg. 

“In 1969, we were here for a special week – the week that man landed on the moon. We were allowed to stay up late and watch it and it was wonderful!” Paque said. “That really made a difference in my life in terms of my interest in planetary science. Also, I started swimming competitively, so when I was looking for college, I wanted a geology department and a swim team and decided Tennessee was one of my choices.”

When Paque sold her house in California, she decided to give back to UT because of everything the university, faculty in the department, and specifically, Professor Hap McSween, did for her. 

“Philanthropic investments such as these so often make a critical difference in our ability to attract and retain talented faculty,” Hinde said. “We are humbled by Julie’s generosity and honored to recognize her this evening.”

In Memoriam

In Memoriam

Garrett Briggs, former professor and department head, died on December 31, 2022. Briggs began his geologic career as a petroleum geologist on the Louisiana gulf coast, and moved to UT in 1968. He spent 13 years at UT, part of that as head of the Department of Geological Sciences, where he helped build the graduate program. He then was appointed associate dean for the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1981, he moved to North Carolina to become dean of science at North Carolina State University, and following that president of Peace College.

Jonathan Evenick (PhD ’06) passed away unexpectedly August 5, 2023, at the age of 44 years. Evenick earned his doctorate under Professor Emeritus Robert Hatcher, added on a year post-doc, then went to work for BP in Houston for 13 years. Since 2020, he was employed by the energy company INPEX in Tokyo, Japan, where he lived with his wife and two children.

Evenick’s dissertation subject at UT was on “Potential subsurface structures and hydrocarbon reservoirs in the southern Appalachian basin beneath the Cumberland Plateau and eastern Highland Rim, Tennessee, Kentucky, and southwestern Virginia.” He published several related papers on subsurface stratigraphy in the Cumberland Plateau, answering some big questions on correlations of middle Ordovician units and the extent of the Cumberland overthrust and decollement, providing evidence of its extension on the western side of the Plateau. He also studied the Flynn Creek Impact Structure, publishing a new map through GSA and led several field trips to the site, showing his ability to attack diverse geologic problems.

During his postdoc at UT, he published a book on subsurface well correlations and mapping (Introduction to Well Logs & Subsurface Maps, PennWell), drawing on much of his work at UT. He had an enthusiasm for geology and worked diligently and steadfast. Over the years, Evenick published more than 50 papers, abstracts, book chapters, and field guides, mostly as the principal author.

While at BP, Evenick quickly gained a reputation as a tremendously well-rounded explorationist. Many former colleagues commented on his ability to attack diverse problems with a super-integrated mindset. He taught BP’s structural geology class, and worked on a variety of projects including source rock studies, planning of deep-water appraisal wells, exploration basin analysis and reserves estimation, and eventually earned the position of Structural Geology Community of Practice Leader for BP worldwide. He was admired by many for his intellect, passion for science, timely wit, and kindness.

Evenick received several awards at UT and BP. He most notably received an award from American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) for delivering one of the top 10 oral presentations at the 2018 annual convention. At UT, he received the prestigious George Swingle and Gordon Awards for recognition of his field mapping expertise and professional promise.

At the time of his passing, Evenick held the position of Senior Exploration Advisor—Exploration & New Ventures with INPEX.

He will truly be missed.

Olivia Wilkerson, a junior geology major unexpectedly passed away November 12, 2023. Olivia was deeply engaged in our department. She was an integral member of her cohort at the top of her class and had many close friends among the student body. Olivia’s positive energy, organization, attention to detail, and generosity of providing help to others was widely appreciated. Olivia conducted research with Dr. Nick Dygert and Jesse Scholpp on the chemical evolution of the Earth’s mantle and had submitted an abstract for the American Geophysical Union conference in December. Her contributions will improve our understanding of how the mantle changes over time, how melting occurs within the mantle, and how volcanoes form at hotspots like Hawaii. Olivia also volunteered as a teaching assistant in Geology 102: Earth, Life, and Time and served as a resident assistant with campus housing. She was also a Girl Scout Gold Awardee who promoted reading in her community. She will be greatly missed. 

Advisory Board Update – 2024

Advisory Board Update

The EPS Advisory Board (AB) had an active 2023, helping to sponsor a Career Day for students in February, convening for a spring meeting in May, and taking a field trip to Tellico Dam.

Over 100 students participated in an EPS Career Day, held on February 27 in the Strong Hall Atrium. Representatives from eight companies visited with students about career opportunities: ORNL, Geosyntec Consulting, Pilot Company, RSI EnTech, HydroGeologic, Atlantic Coast Consulting, Environmental Standards and SiREM United Cleanup Oak Ridge. It was a great opportunity for students from EPS and other departments to get early exposure to potential employers, and the AB also had a table for mentoring discussions. Thanks to those who organized the Career Day: Jake Benner, Amy Robinson, Ashley Ramsey, and Alexis Andershock.

Afterwards, four AB members gave presentations on their career paths and provided insight for students about the nature of their work (there was also free pizza!). Specific case studies were discussed, and a robust question-and-answer session followed. Greg Carlson, David Jackson, Ashley Ramsey, and Mike Coffey were fantastic presenters. The next career day is scheduled for 2–6 p.m. February 26, 2024, in the Strong Hall atrium.

Following the spring meeting on May 5, AB member Matt Huebner led a field trip to Tellico Dam at the mouth of the Little Tennessee River, 23 miles southwest of Knoxville. Huebner is the Dam Safety Geologist with TVA in Chattanooga, and led an informative trip that was attended by some AB members, faculty and EPS students.

Tellico Dam is a rolled-fill embankment dam with a concrete nonoverflow/spillway section that was completed in 1979. Huebner explained how geologists play a crucial role in risk-informed decision making for dam safety. Major risks that must be monitored include seepage and internal erosion through the foundation karst, as well as seismic stability.

The group was able to inspect the seismic instruments and learn about the geophysical and remote sensing data that TVA gathers in order to preserve dam safety. Thanks to Huebner for putting together a great afternoon field trip.

Syreeta Vaughn

Alumni Board Member Highlight: Syreeta Vaughn

Syreeta Vaughn is a distinguished member of our alumni board, bringing an impressive academic background and extensive professional expertise. She holds a BS degree in geological and earth sciences/geosciences (’02) from Florida State University, along with an MS degree in geological and earth sciences/geosciences (’05) and an MS in engineering/industrial management (’13) from the University of Tennessee.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Vaughn received the Young Alumni Award from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in 2011 and the UT Alumni Promise Award in 2019. Now with over 18 years of experience, Vaughn has excelled in roles related to nuclear materials processing, nuclear waste operations, nuclear safety basis, and nuclear facility operations, and weapons production.

As a subject matter expert in nuclear industry practices, Vaughn has served as the driving force behind numerous site-level National Nuclear Security Administration and Office of Science capital projects. Her ability to execute line management responsibilities, including staff supervision, budget management, employee development, and performance evaluation, has significantly contributed to the success of her projects. Likewise, her foundational training in geological sciences has significantly contributed to her ability to assess and evaluate hazards, identify design requirements, and develop safety controls.

Vaughn’s dedication to her field is evident in her extensive training and certifications, covering areas such as safety, project management, nuclear facility operations, and more.

As a wife and mother of three young children, Vaughn still finds time to be involved in various organizations that focus on empowering women in different fields. She has a passion for advocating for women in technical fields. She donates hundreds of community service hours each through various philanthropic organizations.

Vaughn’s commitment to excellence, leadership, and expertise makes her an invaluable member of our Advisory Board, Chair of the Mentoring and Outreach Committee, and we are so proud to have her as part of our alumni community.

Ashley Ramsey

Meet Ashley Ramsey, Our New Advisory Board Chair

I am excited and honored to introduce myself as the new Board Chair for the UT Department of Earth and Planetary Science (EPS) Advisory Board. My name is Ashley Ramsey, and I’m eager to embark on this incredible journey with all of you. Allow me to share a bit about my professional and volunteer background.

I currently serve as a senior project manager at Atlantic Coast Consulting, Inc., located in Roswell, Georgia. My academic journey in geology began with a BS degree in geological science from Baylor University (’15), followed by a deep dive into the world of Earth sciences with an MS in Earth and Planetary Sciences from UT (’18).

Throughout my almost six years in environmental consulting, I’ve had the privilege of working on a diverse range of projects. From site assessments to remediation, permitting, and compliance projects across the Southeastern United States, I’ve been dedicated to making a positive impact on our environment and communities.

But my passion extends beyond the workplace. I am deeply dedicated to mentoring and outreach. I firmly believe in nurturing the next generation of geoscientists, both within and outside my organization. To this end, I’ve spearheaded multiple enterprise-wide mentoring programs, played a crucial role in establishing a career fair for geoscience students at UT, and participated in this year’s Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Young Professionals Leadership Academy (YPLA), where we focused on making the solid-waste industry an employer of choice through engaging and exciting the next generation of professionals.

Community involvement is another aspect of my life I hold dear. As an advisor for my local university’s Zeta Tau Alpha Chapter, I take great joy in guiding and empowering young individuals on their journeys, both personally and professionally.

As I step into the role of board chair, I bring with me a wealth of experience, boundless dedication, and a deep-rooted passion for Earth and planetary sciences. I am excited about the bright future that lies ahead for our department and the incredible opportunities we can create together.

I look forward to working closely with all of you, students, faculty, alumni, and fellow board members, as we guide the EPS Advisory Board toward new horizons. Aligned with our mission to offer external perspective, advice, resources, and support to the department, I am particularly passionate about fostering the next generation of geoscientists. Through mentorship, professional development, and the combined expertise of our board, we’ll not only advance the field of Earth sciences but also ensure the ongoing success of our department. Your trust in me is deeply appreciated, and I am thrilled to embark on this journey of growth, innovation, and mentorship with all of you by my side.