Faculty, Staff, and Students

Tenure-Track Faculty

Headshot of Thomas Algeo

Thomas Algeo

Professor, Geosciences

504 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-4195

Specialization in sedimentary geochemistry with applications to paleoceanographic and global systems analysis.  Research is directed along three broad themes: Environmental change at the Permian/Triassic boundary, the relationship of land plant evolution to weathering rate changes and global events during the Middle to Late Devonian, and the development of trace-metal redox proxies to study paleomarine systems.

Headshot of Carlton E. Brett

Carlton E. Brett

Professor, Geosciences

510 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-4556

Dr. Brett's research focuses on relating regional and global changes in sea level, climate, and the carbon cycle to episodes of biotic change (bioevents) and extinction, and time-specific sedimentary facies. Projects involve establishing regional and global patterns of Paleozoic sequence stratigraphy and relating them to prolonged intervals of relative biotic stability, or "coordinated stasis", and episodes of abrupt change. He also maintains active research in taphonomy, including comparative fossil preservation and modern experimental approaches designed to test the concept of taphofacies, pursuing studies of ancient organism interactions including organism-substrate relationships and the mid Paleozoic predator revolution, and the paleobiology of marine invertebrates, especially echinoderms and arthropods.
Headshot of Brooke E Crowley

Brooke E Crowley

Professor, Geology Graduate Director, Stable Isotope Ecology, Quaternary Paleoecology, Geosciences

503 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-7181

I use stable isotope biogeochemistry to answer a variety of questions about modern and extinct vertebrate communities. My main research interests include extinction, environmental and ecological consequences of human impacts, habitat transformation and conservation. Please visit my personal website for more information (http://www.agoraphotia.com). 
Headshot of Andrew D. Czaja

Andrew D. Czaja

Associate Professor, Precambrian Paleobiology, Astrobiology, and Geochemistry, Geosciences

506 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-3574

Precambrian Paleobiology, Astrobiology, and Biogeochemistry: Early evolution of life on Earth; Archean fossil record of South Africa and Australia; geologic record of microbial metabolic evolution; Mesoproterozoic terrestrial microbial ecosystems; kerogen geochemistry; in situ morphological and geochemical analyses of Precambrian microfossils.
Headshot of Aaron Diefendorf

Aaron Diefendorf

Professor, Organic and Isotope Geochemistry, Geosciences

610 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-3787

My research uses stable isotope and organic biogeochemical tools to solve critical questions in the areas of global climate change, carbon cycling, Earth’s climate sensitivity, paleoclimatology, and paleoecology.
Headshot of Craig Dietsch

Craig Dietsch

Associate Professor, Department Head, Geology, Geosciences

500D Geology-Physics Building

513-556-3732

Dr. Dietsch’s research focuses on the evolution of mountain chains, crustal tectonics, petrology, and landscape evolution.  His current fieldwork areas include the Himalaya of northern India, eastern Pyrenees, the Catalan Coastal Ranges of northeastern Spain, the Appalachians, western New England, and southern California.  Current research topics include bedrock exhumation in relation to fluvial incision, geodynamics of migmatite domes, and how the generation of alluvial fans may record tectonic and climactic signals. 
Headshot of Attila I Kilinc

Attila I Kilinc

Professor of experimental and computational geochemistry, Geosciences

Experimental, theoretical and computational geochemistry at high temperatures and pressures; oxidation state of magmas, role of volatiles in magmatic processes, petrology and geochemistry of tholeiitic and alkaline basalts, physical geochemistry of explosive volcanism.
Headshot of Tom V Lowell

Tom V Lowell

Professor, Glacial and Quaternary Geology, Geosciences

604 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-4165

Headshot of Joshua H Miller

Joshua H Miller

Asst Professor, Geosciences

509 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-6704

I study the ecological information contained in natural accumulations of bones (death assemblages). Through a multidisciplinary approach that brings together ecology, wildlife management, conservation biology, paleobiology, and GIS, my research explores the ecological data contained in bone accumulations from the modern, sub-fossil, and fossil realms. Using fieldwork, quantitative analyses, and statistical modeling, I am refining our understanding of the biological data that is contained in bone accumulations and providing new tools for recovering those data from recent, historical, and fossil accumulations.

Headshot of Reza Soltanian

Reza Soltanian

Associate Professor, Hydrogeology, Geosciences

508 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-3732

Headshot of Daniel Murray Sturmer

Daniel Murray Sturmer

Assistant Professor, Geosciences

602 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-5705

My research interests lie in using geological, geophysical, and petrophysical tools to understand basin formation, evolution, and resource potential. I am particularly interested in interactions between sedimentation and tectonic processes.
Headshot of Amy Townsend-Small

Amy Townsend-Small

Professor, Environmental Science, Geosciences

605 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-3762

Service-driven researcher, teacher, and mentor in environmental science and policy. Together with my collaborators and students, I’ve published over 40 articles and raised over $2 million in research funding. My current research focuses on atmospheric methane emissions from the oil and gas supply chain and climate change feedbacks. I also work on community engaged research toward environmental justice and greenhouse gas emissions reductions together with my students.
Headshot of Dylan Ward

Dylan Ward

Associate Professor, Undergraduate Director, Geomorphology and Numerical Modeling, Geosciences

502 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-2174

Numerical modeling, field measurement, and geochronology to constrain rates and mechanics of fluvial and glacial geomorphic processes; Paleoclimate and atmospheric circulation as reflected in the landscape; Response of landscape processes to climate change and to exhumation of different rock types.
 
Headshot of Yurena Yanes

Yurena Yanes

Assistant Professor, Geosciences

520 Geology-Physics Building

513-307-6777

My research program examines the response of biological communities to environmental and human stressors. The sustainability and integrity of ecological resources are increasingly uncertain as climate warms and Earth faces a biodiversity crisis. To remedy this situation, scientists must understand the magnitude, direction and rate of biotic responses to environmental and human impacts. However, environmental and anthropogenic factors operate simultaneously and therefore, they are difficult to discriminate using short-term ecological/human-lifespan scales. My work incorporates a longer-term (geological) dimension through three sequential intervals in the recent geologic past: (1) before humans, which I study with paleontological records, (2) during aboriginal (pre-industrial) occupation, by investigating archeological sources; and (3) in post-industrial times, by measuring modern and historical ecological records. The group of organisms I use to examine biotic-environment-human interactions belong to the Phylum Mollusca (primarily terrestrial gastropods) because they are plentiful, sensitive to environmental and human interference, and less investigated yet more threatened than other present-day major animal groups. To investigate molluscs, I integrate data and techniques from multiple disciplines including isotope geochemistry, taphonomy, paleoecology, Quaternary geochronology, archeology and the emerging field of conservation paleobiology.

Adjunct Faculty

Headshot of Brenda R Hanke

Brenda R Hanke

Geosciences

Headshot of Glenn W. Storrs

Glenn W. Storrs

Adjunct Professor, Geosciences

Geology-Physics Building

513-287-7000

Affiliate Faculty

Headshot of Christopher L Atchison

Christopher L Atchison

Professor, Geoscience Education, Geosciences

600E Teachers College

513-556-3613

Dr. Atchison specializes in Geoscience Education. His research involves creating full access to the Earth Science disciplines for students and scientists with physical, sensory, and developmental disabilities, and evaluation of the instructional strategies that promote inclusive communities of learning in field settings. He is the Founder of the International Association for Geoscience Diversity (www.TheIAGD.org), an organization charged with advocating for students and geoscientists with disabilities, while promoting an accessible pathway into the Geoscience workforce through the development of innovative and inclusive research opportunities and instructional strategies.
 
Headshot of Kenneth Barnett Tankersley

Kenneth Barnett Tankersley

Assoc Professor, Geosciences

456 Braunstein Hall

513-556-5784

My current research focuses on Native American sociopolitical issues and human adaptation to catastrophic events.

Emeriti Faculty

Headshot of Madeleine Briskin

Madeleine Briskin

Emeritus Professor, Geosciences

(513)556-3009

Headshot of John E Grover

John E Grover

Professor, Geosciences

Headshot of Warren D. Huff

Warren D. Huff

Professor, Geosciences

Geology-Physics Building

Clay mineralogy, paleovolcanology, tephrochronology

Headshot of J. Barry Maynard

J. Barry Maynard

Professor, Geosciences

513-505-2279

Research career focused on the chemistry of metals at the Earth’s surface, with prinicpal focus in recent years on Mn, Fe, Cu and Pb. Systems studied include Mn-Fe ore bodies, constructed wetlands treating mine drainage, slope stability problems, and corrosion scales in drinking water systems. Supervised 9 PhD and 24 MS students.
Headshot of David L Meyer

David L Meyer

Professor, Geosciences

Headshot of Arnold I Miller

Arnold I Miller

Professor Emeritus of Geology, Geosciences

An evolutionary paleobiologist and paleoecologist, with research and teaching interests in biodiversity throughout geological time and in the present day. Current projects include the investigation of geographic and environmental selectivity during global mass extinctions and major diversification events; assessment of anthropogenic impacts on shallow-water molluscan communities as recorded in skeletal accumulations; numerical modeling of time-averaged fossil assemblages; and assessments of the distributions of animals and plants along present and past environmental gradients. 

Headshot of David Byer Nash

David Byer Nash

Professor, Geosciences

Headshot of Paul E Potter

Paul E Potter

Emeritus Faculty, Geosciences

Post-Doc Fellows/ Research Associates

Headshot of Faranak Behzadi

Faranak Behzadi

Geosciences

Headshot of Corey D Wallace

Corey D Wallace

National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, Geosciences

Geology-Physics Building

970-412-3920

National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow working at the University of Cincinnati. Research topics include groundwater flow, nutrient transport, and greenhouse gas emissions along rivers. PhD from the Ohio State University studying reactive nitrogen transport in tidal rivers. 

Staff

Headshot of Kate D. Cosgrove

Kate D. Cosgrove

Business Manager, Geosciences

500 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-7168

I manage the day to day financial activities for the department. This includes, but is not limited to, grants –pre and post award, endowment budgeting and expenses, hiring of faculty, staff and students, external contracts and budget management.
Headshot of Sarah J Hammer

Sarah J Hammer

Laboratory Manager, Geosciences

623B Geology-Physics Building

513-556-7193

Headshot of Michael L. Menard

Michael L. Menard

Technical Professional II, Geosciences

Headshot of Krista Smilek

Krista Smilek

Academic Director, Geology, Geosciences

500 Geology-Physics Building

513-556-7169

I serve as the program advisor for geology majors, minors, and graduate students as well as prospective students.  I coordinate the undergraduate and graduate programs, maintain all things Catalyst-related for the department, and participate in geology-related community outreach.  I also lead the Ocean Margins field trip (GEOL4023/6023) to San Salvador, Bahamas and teach Natural Hazards (GEOL1009) during summer term.

Graduate Students

Headshot of Lilja Elyse Carden

Lilja Elyse Carden

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

630-621-6164

I am interested in using modern mollusk assemblages to understand how anthropogenic industrial pollutants have shaped species success and tolerance. I am hoping to better understand how bivalve species respond to both the presence of industrial pollution and after it has been remediated.
Headshot of Jason M Cesta

Jason M Cesta

Geosciences

My interests lie in process geomorphology, landscape evolution, geochronology, and paleomagnetism. I am specifically interested in the response of landscapes to climate shifts, and utilizing geomorphic landforms to interpret the climate history of a particular region. My current research focuses on the erosional efficiency of former glaciers in the arid Andes.
Headshot of Josephine Dorothy Chiarello

Josephine Dorothy Chiarello

Geosciences

Headshot of Megan Casey Corcoran

Megan Casey Corcoran

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

(315) 412-6477

I am PhD student working with Dr. Aaron Diefendorf. I use geochemical and isotopic proxies to reconstruct past hydroclimate and ecological changes in order to understand the causes of these changes and to better predict future climate. I am currently working on projects in the Adirondacks, Midwest and Falklands. I am also interested in promoting and administering STEM education to students of all ranges and leading outreach activities to engage the community in science.
 
Headshot of Andrea Lynn Corpolongo

Andrea Lynn Corpolongo

Geosciences

Headshot of Watts Lambert Dietrich

Watts Lambert Dietrich

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

I am a master's student interested in using geochemical proxies and stable isotopes to reconstruct past climate and improve our understanding of the Earth system. Before coming to UC, I worked as a chemist in the flavor industry and studied airborne disease transmission at the CDC. My current research is focused on determining how diagenesis affects a particular diatom biomarker in lake sediments and whether this biomarker can serve as a proxy for past hydrology.
Headshot of Cole Austin Farnam

Cole Austin Farnam

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Aaron Ray Fletcher

Aaron Ray Fletcher

Geosciences

My research interests revolve around urban watershed science, flood and stormwater management, and geomorphology. I am currently researching the use of temperature as a means of identifying the effects of human development on local streams.
Headshot of Ian  James  Forsythe

Ian James Forsythe

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

PhD student specializing in invertebrate paleontology. Research interests include paleoecology, invasion biology, astrochronology, paleoclimatology, stable isotope geochemistry, and stratigraphy. Recent projects include reconstructing the distribution of Ordovician macrofaunal invertebrates along environmental gradients, quantifying the ecological impacts of biotic invasions in deep time, and reconstructing past basin morphologies.  
Headshot of Madison Quinn Gaetano

Madison Quinn Gaetano

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Camden Asher Goland

Camden Asher Goland

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Andrew K Hensley

Andrew K Hensley

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

I will be doing my masters research on recently extinct rodents from Hispaniola. Using isotope analysis of bone collagen and tooth enamel, I hope to help build a better picture of the recent ecosystem on the island and help clarify what led to the decline of these species. I am also very interested in the applications of isotope ecology on Eocene mammals, as well as the use of GIS technologies in paleontology and science communication.
Headshot of Cody Martin Kessler

Cody Martin Kessler

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

PhD student with research interest in near surface geophysics
Headshot of Zeke King Phillips

Zeke King Phillips

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Samuel Augustus Little

Samuel Augustus Little

Geosciences

I am a master's student researching with a focus on marine invertebrate paleontology in local Ordovician deposits. Currently interested in implications of organism encrustation and better defining species invasions.
Headshot of Jeffery Tyler McGarr

Jeffery Tyler McGarr

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Andrew Carlton Michel

Andrew Carlton Michel

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

I began working on my masters at the University of Cincinnati in the Fall of 2019. The goal of my project is to produce a 7.5-minute bedrock map of the Stamford quadrangle in southwestern Connecticut, which will ultimately contribute to the compilation of a new Connecticut state bedrock map. 
Headshot of Farzad Moeini

Farzad Moeini

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Hans Hubble Naake

Hans Hubble Naake

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Masters Student researching diatom biomarkers.
Headshot of Catherine Bliss Nield

Catherine Bliss Nield

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Samantha Michele Niewierowski

Samantha Michele Niewierowski

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Vincent Stephen Nowaczewski

Vincent Stephen Nowaczewski

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Brianna Isabel Orrill

Brianna Isabel Orrill

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

I am interested in origins of life research and the study of the earliest life on Earth. I am curious about biosignature development and the application towards the search for life on other planets.
Headshot of Elizabeth Ann Shade

Elizabeth Ann Shade

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

513-315-6459

I hold a BA in psychology from the University of Cincinnati and Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institue of America. My current area of study is the science of synthetic gem material, specifically diamonds. My hope is to develop more advanced techniques to identify synthetic treated stones.  
Headshot of Emily Michelle Bruff Simpson

Emily Michelle Bruff Simpson

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Headshot of Thomas E Uhl

Thomas E Uhl

Geosciences

Headshot of Clark Taylor Ward

Clark Taylor Ward

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

For my Master's project, I am investigating stable isotope paleoecology of large mammalian herbivores from the Nebraskan late Miocene site Ashfall Fossil Beds.  I am interested in species-level and community-level paleoecology as well as extinct and extant herpetofauna.  
Headshot of Allison L Young

Allison L Young

Geosciences

Headshot of Jonas   Zajonz

Jonas Zajonz

Graduate Assistant, Geosciences

Currently, I am working on my PhD degree in paleontology. My projects are devoted to paleoecology and changes in biodiversity.