Geology students undertake research project in Oregon

This summer, two Concord University students had what many in the science commu- nity would consider the experience of a lifetime. Courtesy of the University’s research funds, Dr. Kuehn, Assistant Professor of Geology, was able to apply for a grant that allowed him to take two students on a venture to expand their research in Oregon.

When Dr. Kuehn was approved, he was permitted to choose two students to accompany him on the summer research trip and selected Savannah Ballengee and Addison Hostetler.

Hostetler had already been working on an ongoing research project. This research was con- ducted on the Geology depart- ment’s electron microprobe.

Interestingly, Concord University is actually the home ofthe only undergraduate electron microprobe in all of North America.

Ballengee has been working for several semesters for Kuehn through CU Connect funds in the geology lab, as well as working on the university’s microprobe.

When Kuehn was given the necessary funds, he asked Bal- lengee if she would be interested in accompanying him on the trip.

The trip was comprised of three parts. Kuehn, Ballengee, and Hostetler began their ad- venture at Oregon State University studying core samples of volcanic materials in the university’s core lab. The groups then moved on to the Cascades, collecting further samples of volcanic material.

Following all of this, the trio spent a week in the Playa Desert and the surrounding area at Summerlake where they were continuing Hostetler’s research, which is Tephrachronology (Science using volcanic ash to create a time line of events) on a fault barring zone.

Ballengee and Hostetler are grateful for the opportunity and both agree that, “The field experience is invaluable.”

Ballengee is a junior, and Hostetler, a senior. Both students plan to attend graduate school.

Hostetler is likely pursuing his Masters and Ph.D. at WVU in environmental geosciences.

Last year, Hostetler received the chance to present his ongoing research at the AGU (American Geophysics Union) event. Ballengee is presently analyzing tephra from the Aegean Sea near the coast of Greece.

Like most hardworking undergraduate students, Ballengee and Hostetler ultimately hope that their research will be published.