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2020 Beck Student Scholars -. | the Sinkhole Conference Barry F. Beck 2020 Sinkhole Conference Student Scholarship Recipients tracing in Cave Without A Name and Devil's Sinkhole. I also Lijun, Tian have many research field trips back to China: a two-month field Ph.D. student trip in Tibet for paleo-lake level research and a two-week field University of Texas at trip in Southwest China for dating the ages of Tiankengs. San Antonio My main research interests include: (a) Geochemical evolution of aquifer system: I am a 5th year Ph.D. hydrochemical and isotope tracers of groundwater sources student in the and surface water-groundwater interactions in Karst aquifers; Environmental Science geochemical modeling to investigate the inter-formation flow. and Engineering (b) Geochronologic methods for karst landforms: Program of University of reconstruct paleo-lake shorelines over the Tibetan Plateau Texas at San Antonio. (OSL technique to date quartz/feldspar grains of sandy layers Before coming to UTSA, I and U-Th technique to date tufa deposits of shorelines); received an M.S. degree in Quaternary Geology, Institute of evolving history and formation mechanisms of extremely large Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2014; karst collapses (Tiankengs) in China (paleomagnetic and B.S. degree in Geographic Science, Lanzhou University, stratigraphy to date cave sediments and cosmogenic 36Cl 2010. technique to date the exposure age of limestone). When I studied at Lanzhou University, I had various field (c) Besides the karst hydrogeology, I also have research trips across northwest China - from Qilian mountain glacier to interest in stable isotope clues to the formation and evolution the terminal lakes, from Tibet Plateau to Badain Jaran Desert. of sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic. I was also involved in some research projects about climate proxies such as loess-paleosol sequence, tree ring, and Lumongsod, Regina Martha lacustrine deposit. My undergraduate thesis is about the MS Student excavation results of Dadiwan archaeological site. These University of the Philippines experiences led me to a keen interest in hydrology and National Institute of paleoclimate reconstruction. Geological Sciences During my M.S. study in CAS, my research focuses on controls on the oxygen isotopic variability of meteoric I am currently an Instructor precipitation, drip water, and calcite deposition at two caves and master’s student (MS in China. I have monitored Shihua Cave in Beijing and Geology) at the University of Baojinggong in Guangdong with monthly sampling for three the Philippines National years. Base on the contrast results of the two caves located in Institute of Geological North and South China, we have a new perspective on the Sciences (UP-NIGS), the interpretation of Chinese speleothem δ18O record. Center of Excellence in When I came to UTSA to pursue a Ph.D. degree in the ESE Geology in the Philippines. I program, the study and research experience in Center for was a former research Water Research at UTSA provided me with advanced training assistant for a project on active tectonics and coastal hazards. in water research and technology. Edwards Aquifer which I have taught general geology, geomorphology, computer provides groundwater supplies for more than two million methods in geology, and field methods and technical drawing. people in central Texas faces both water quantity and quality My current research is on karst geomorphology, particularly on problems. I believe the geochemistry and isotope tools could sinkholes, limestone-bearing formations, and geographic provide most useful information to solve the hydrogeological informations system (GIS). My research interests include problems. That is why I choose these research subjects and coastal geomorphology, planetary geology, karst methods for my Ph.D. dissertation. hydrogeology, and GIS applications in geology. During my study in UTSA, I’m participating in many karst related fieldworks: routinely monthly sampling surface water and groundwater for two years in Upper Cibolo Creek Watershed; cave hydrology monitoring and speleothem sample collection in Texas and Virginia caves; fluorescent dye The 16th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering & Environmental Impacts of Karst Page 1 Moore, Brittiny Robinson, Tonian MS Student Ph.D. student Texas State University University of South Florida At the age of 13, during an annual My professional family vacation, my goals are to grandparents took obtain an me to see my first academic position show cave. Before that will enable this trip, I could have me to become a never imagined that mentor for students who might never have considered career an entirely different paths in STEM. Growing up on the island of Jamaica, world existed underneath our very feet. War Eagle Cavern in surrounded by beautiful tropical landscapes; I developed an Arkansas was adorned with stalactites, stalagmites, and still early appreciation of nature. My first experience studying dripping drapery. It was from this vacation that I decided I aspects of nature came shortly after migrating to the United wanted to study caves. States at age 15.I worked with an ecologist for the Roche A graduate of Western Kentucky University, I majored in Program at William Paterson University during the summer geology and minored in geography and journalism writing. before my senior high school year, I studied the effects of While obtaining a bachelor’s degree in geology, I concentrated temperature on the metabolism of ants. To this date, I can still on karst environments and successfully completed an honors recall the enthusiasm in giving my first scientific presentation thesis project focused on analyzing cave roof stability. This of this work that laid the foundation for my present passion for project included the use of geographic information systems science. and case studies to provide evidence of an increased As a sophomore at Rutgers State University, my career frequency in bedrock collapse sinkholes. This project received trajectory changed when I joined the Rutgers-Newark publication in The Professional Geologist journal. Geophysics research group as a part-time research assistant. I am now a graduate student at Texas State University, Working with the Geophysics research group provided me with where I am continuing my studies in karst environments. My access to mentors, research experience, and the confidence current research project focuses on the effect of land use that I could become successful in STEM. By participating in policies on the health of karst systems. This project includes research for nearly three years, I was able to improve my policy analysis, utilization of the Karst Disturbance Index, and technical skills for both lab and fieldwork. I primarily worked a statistical analysis. During my studies at Texas State on a Strategic Environmental Research and Development University, I have also begun a research project that is Program (SERDP) project. For SERDP, I performed analytical concentrated on policy issues with groundwater and surface experimentations on rock sub-cores to correlate their water interactions, with a focus on sinkhole filling in the electrical properties to the hydrogeological properties Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. controlling fluid transportation. Currently employed part-time with the City of Austin. I As an undergraduate research assistant at Rutgers-Newark, I work as an environmental conservation information specialist. presented findings at the Research Experience for When not working or in class, I am a volunteer with several Undergraduates (REU) Symposium, Geological Society of organizations, am a freelance writer for the Texas Parks and America (GSA) Conference, and American Geological Union Wildlife Magazine, and an avid researcher. Outside of my (AGU). academic research, I am currently conducting a sinkhole Today I am a Ph.D. student at the University of South analysis in Puerto Rico with two other colleagues. Florida; my studies involve the precursory detection of After graduation with a master’s degree, I would like to sinkholes using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar continue working for the City of Austin as a geologist with the (InSAR) images. I am currently analyzing the spatial patterns of city’s new sinkhole initiative. The initiative is focused on time-series data points, showing subsidence, for three preserving and conserving sensitive recharge features that are locations in West-central Florida. These time-series points currently affected by urbanization. Ultimately, I plan to were processed using the persistent-scatterer InSAR method. continue with higher education by obtaining my PhD in In this study, we aim to prevent the loss of lives and geological sciences with a research project focused on the infrastructure by adding InSAR data to assess sinkhole environment and society. activities in the highly vegetated West-central, Florida. My team and I plan to advocate for long term observations over The 16th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering & Environmental Impacts of Karst Page 2 the sinkhole prone areas to provide information about ongoing protocols. After, performing chemical extraction of Phthalates threats of collapse. and Chlorinate Volatile Organic Compounds on these samples, As a woman of color introduced to the sciences through I follow modified US EPA analytical methods. Also, I had the outreach programs in high school, I plan to be involved in opportunity to do another research project, different from
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