Research Interests My CV provides specifics about research experience and publications.

General Interests

My interest in alpine environments has lead me to examine how both glacial and periglacial features in the western US.  My interest in rock glaciers stemmed from an interest in active processes.  There are many questions about rock glaciers that still need to be answered and I look forward to seeing where the current research topics lead us. 

Over time my interest in alpine environments lead to my interest in the timing of alpine glaciations in the Untied States.  Alpine glaciation serves as a valid proxy to regional paleoclimate.  The higher resolution of paleoclimate data derived from young glaciations has focused my interest on glaciations in the last 20ky.  I'm specifically interested in glacial advances that postdate the LGM which (may) include the Younger Dryas and numerous Holocene glaciations (including the Little Ice Age). 

I'm also interested in how regional factors may affect our impression of continental scale glaciation.  This includes the quality of correlation between local glacial advances and climate proxies in the North Atlantic including Heinrich Events.  Additionally, it includes how regional factors such as ENSO and the PDO affect our view of how local glaciations fit into a larger picture. 

Research Projects

PhD. Research - I'm studying changes in Holocene climate in the southwestern United States.  Previous research shows that Holocene glaciation occurred in the Sangre de Christos in the south (Armour et al.) but not in the Sawatch Range to the north (Brugger).  The southern San Juan Mountains are likely an important area to examine because they hold the key as to why changes exist between glaciation in the south and a lack of glaciation in the north.  This project will begin with mapping but will likely expand into a study of regional paleoclimate.  Soils in the area will likely by used as indicators of surface ages and climate because of the specialty of my advisor, Missy Eppes.

M.S. Research - I focused my research on the local factors that allow rock glaciers to form in some areas but not others.  Using statistical methods (MANOVA) we determined that rock glacier distribution in the Lemhi Range, central Idaho is generally controlled by lithology and topographic shielding.  Details and maps can be found in my Masters Thesis

B.A. Research - Ed Hansen has lead an extensive study of large parabolic dunes along the southeast coast of Lake Michigan.  This series of Hope College studies has given undergraduates a great deal of research experience, including me.  While at Hope I studied the migration of large parabolic dunes as well as concentrations of wind blown magnetite on the lee slope of the dune.  Three years later this is still in the process of being published.