A coastal scene showing a hillside residential area overlooking a bay with clear blue waters, and the open ocean in the background under partly cloudy skies.

Volcano Geophysicist and educator exploring how the Earth moves - and helping students discover the science that shapes their world.

Assistant Professor, Pensacola State College. NSF-funded research on seismic anisotropy and volcano seismology.

From studying deep magmatic processes in the Arctic to assessing volcanic hazards in the Caribbean, my work bridges worlds of field observation, computational modeling, and data analysis. I am passionate about understanding how volcanoes interact with their tectonic surrounds - and preparing students to engage with earth sciences as informed, science-savvy citizens.

I approach teaching with the belief that every student’s best effort deserves my best effort in return. While not every student will become a geoscientist, I aim to create opportunities for them to strengthen their critical thinking, problem-solving, and understanding of the planet we share.

Research Focus

My current research centers on an NSF-funded study of seismic anisotropy at Kilauea Volcano, with the goal of understanding how subsurface stress and magma transport evolve before, during, and after major eruptive events. Past project have included volcanic hazard assessment in Dominica, finite element modeling of magma underplating in the Tohoku Volcanic Arc, and high-resolution magnetic mapping of a buried volcano in Nevada.

Research Projects

Teaching Approach

I teach Introduction to Earth Science and General oceanography, blending traditional lectures with applied assignments, discussions on responsible use of AI and opportunities for students to explore real-world scientific data.

Learn About My Courses
  • Lava flowing from the ocean, creating steam and smoke on the rocky shore during a volcanic eruption.

    NSF Award - Kilauea Volcano

    In 2025, I was award funding through the National Science Foundation’s GEO-EMBRACE (NSF 23-617), administered by the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) under the SPSE program (award # 2432427) to investigate seismic anisotropy at Kilauea volcano. This research focuses on the 2018 eruption and its implications for understanding how magmatic systems evolve.

    Read the NSF award abstract
  • Empty seats in an auditorium or theater with seating arranged in rows on a sloped floor, concrete walls visible in the background.

    Conference Presentations

    Presented research and methods at AGU, SSA, and NABG meetings.

    Coming Soon
  • Group of people training in close physical contact, simulating the push and pull of tectonic plates, in an indoor setting.

    Collaborative Publications

    Good Vibrations: Living with the motions of our unsettled planet (2020), an interdisciplinary science communication piece.

    Read the article here
  • Kamen, snow-capped volcano in Kamchatka, Russia, with a group of people setting up a seismic station in foreground, under a partly cloudy sky.

    Fieldwork, photos, and notes

    A visual journal of field days, instruments in the wild, and the messy middle of going geophysics.

    Visit Geology in Heels