Earth on the Rocks

On the season 2 finale, we turn the episode on its head and I'm in the hot seat. Our guests, Nora Gauss and Kaylor Jasiak, who are both undergraduates (either currently or recently graduated) in the department, interview me on behalf of GeoClub, a student-run organization that helps build community through social events. Hear about some of the events GeoClub has put on, what applying for graduate school is like in today's climate, what goes into the day for a faculty member, the thought process behind forming this podcast, what a clean lab is and how it functions, working in a greenhouse, and some fun "Yes, please!" takes, including one from Betsy, our technical recording manager. 

Today on the show we have Emily Throop, a masters student focusing on the impacts of tree throw (the divot and mound of soil a tree leaves when it is uprooted) on landscape evolution. Hear about Emily's beginnings in informatics, her experience with GIS and how she used it when she worked for an environmental consulting firm, how tree throw may impact the rockiness of a hill slope, what it's like teaching as a graduate student, and some great book recs.

On the show today is Ruth Droppo, an artist, graphic designer, and marketing and communications lead for our Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department. Learn about scientific storytelling through design, Ruth's journey from printmaking and pinhole photography during an MFA program to working in an EAS department, the critical role of art in science communication, and Ruth's process for working with scientists to more effectively help tell their story.

On today's episode of Earth on the Rocks we have Dr. David Polly, a vertebrate paleontologist interested in how past changes (geologically, climatically, environmentally) have affected life and how life may have responded or adapted in turn. Learn about sampling of fossils (both in the field and from museums), what the early internet was like and David's experience at the front lines of it, the giant fossil snake Titanoboa, national monuments and their vital role in paleontology (and how that resulted in David being called to Congress to testify), and learning Finnish through reading The Hobbit.

On the show today is Lorena Jevnikar, a masters student focused on conservation paleobiology through studying coral diversity in the Caribbean. Hear about the Beverly (a drink you need to experience for yourself), how coral populations are declining and why we need to conserve them, coral bleaching and its relationship to algae, the state stone of Michigan and how it inspired Lorena's journey, and what life is like as a masters student.

Joining the show today is Dr. Doug Edmonds, a sedimentologist interested in how sediment is generated, transported, and deposited and how that may change over time. Hear about sediment's role in human habitation and resource development, whether state boundaries are accurate, how LiDAR works for measuring topography, the balance between field and computer work, and about cell phones in schools (and the olden days when you had to actually press out text messages using T9 - look it up).

On the show today we have Diya Kamnani, a current PhD student studying atmospheric rivers. Hear about the health benefits of a gin and tonic, how you identify an atmospheric river, how pilots take atmospheric rivers into account for their flight plans, Diya's work with invasive species (and how her skills in the earth sciences translated there), and international versions of American fast food chains.

Leading off the second half of season 2 is Dr. Ben Kravitz, a climate scientist who focuses on modeling Earth's response when we push the Earth system involving things like greenhouse gas emissions or geoengineering. Hear about trash rain (and why weather balloons may not be the best bet for geoengineering), how we can model the impacts of stratospheric injection (where we intentionally put things in our air to try to combat climate change), what goes into a Model Intercomparison Project (MIP), and some thoughts on the Winter Olympics.

On the season 2 midseason finale we welcome Molly Karnes, a stable isotope ecologist and lab technician. Hear about a new regional drink - Cheerwine, using shark teeth (both modern and ancient) to understand the environment in four dimensions, predatory snails, how a lab technician is a bit like an instrument mechanic, and a new crossover between Sonic and Jello.

Joining the show today is Janie Wittmer, a PhD student focusing on hydrogeochemistry. Hear what happens if you were to drink incredibly pure water (hint: it's not great), what life is like in environmental consulting, how rocks can actually help with carbon emissions, and a recommendation for a potential electronic album of the year.