Geophysics Research Group

People

Dr. Irina Filina

Current Students

Zachary Clowdus

Master Student, UNL Geophysics team

Start date:  August 2023

Project Title:  Geophysical Study of  Iceland 

Welcome to our team, Zach!

Katie Steinauer

Master Student, UNL Geophysics team

Start date:  August 2023

Project Title: Near-surface Geophysics for Hydrogeology in Nebraska

Awards: Daugherty Water For Foof Global Institute Student support (Fall2023-Spring 2024)

Great to have you with us, Katie!

Hermione Lofton

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Contact: hlofton3@huskers.unl.edu

Start date:  May 2023

Project Title: Tectonic History of Northern Atlantic

Welcome to Geophysics, Hermione!

Allison Conzemius

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Contact: aconzemius2@huskers.unl.edu

Start date:  May 2023

Project Title:  Mapping the Track of the Yellowstone Hotspot through Integrated Geophysical Analysis

Awards: UCARE stipend (Summer 2023, Fall2023-Spring 2024)

Looking forward to working with you, Allison!

Courtney Robb Jonathan Wear

Master Student, UNL Geophysics team

Contact: jwear2@huskers.unl.edu

Start date: August 2022

Project Title: Crustal Architecture and Affiliation of the Voring Marginal High

Fieldwork: Seismic cruise in the Norwegian Sea, July 2022, with the Universities of Oslo and Tromso.

Results presented: Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2023)

Nice to have you with us, Jonathan!

Ariful Islam

Md Ariful Islam

Master Student, UNL Geophysics team

Contact: aislam3@huskers.unl.edu

Start date: August 2021

Project Title: Tectonic Origin and Evolution of the Diebold Seamount

Results presented: Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2022, 2023), UNL research Fair (2022), AGU-SEG workshop on active continental margins (July 2022), AGU(2022)

Fieldwork: Seismic CHINOOK crusie in southern Cascadia (August 2022) led by New Mexico Tech and the Oregon State University.

Awards: Best student talk at the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 2023 annual meeting

Proud of you,  Arif!

Alexa Fernandez Bravo Alexa Fernandez Bravo

Master Student, UNL Geophysics team

Contact: alexa.fernandez@huskers.unl.edu

Start date: August 2021

Project Title: Integrated geophysical analysis of the Bathymetrists Seamounts in the Atlantic Ocean

Results presented: AGU(2021), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2022).

Awards:

  • Best student talk at the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 2022 annual meeting
  • Best poster in Physical Science (UNL Research Fair 2022)
Morgan Madsen

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Contact: mmadsen11@huskers.unl.edu

Start date: January 2022

Expected Graduation Date: Summer 2024, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Project: mapping slide complexes of the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Results presented:  Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2022), UNL Research Fair (2022).

Awards: UCARE stipend (Summer 2022, Fall2022-Spring 2023, Fall 2023-Spring 2024)

Glad to have you with us, Morgan!

Geophysics Research Team Graduates

Kris Guthrie

Kris Guthrie

Contact: kristen.guthrie@huskers.unl.edu

Web: https://krisguthrie.com/

Graduation date: Spring 2022, Master of Science (Geology)

Master Thesis: Toward the Understanding of the 2018 Arnold, NE Earthquake Cluster: Relocation of Hypocenters and Establishment of New Gravity Base Stations

Results presented: Nebraska Academy of Sciences in 2020, 2021 and 2022, GSA2020, AGU 2020 and 2021, UNL Research Fair 2021 and 2022

Awards:

  • The Yatkola-Edwards Research Stipend from the Nebraska Geological Society (2020) to collect potential fields in central Nebraska,
  • The Research Grant from the Geological Society of America (2020) to establish a gravity base station in Lincoln, NE

Newspaper Articles: Spate of Nebraska earthquakes, Gravity base stations

What is next? Geologist, NE Department of Environment and Energy

So proud of you, Kris! Congratulations!

Asif Ashraf

Asif Ashraf

Contact: asif@huskers.unl.edu

Graduation date: Summer 2021, Master of Science (Geology)

Project: Integrated Geophysical Studies of the Cascadia Subduction zone

Results presented: Nebraska Academy of Sciences in 2020 and 2021, GSA 2020 and 2021, AGU 2020,2021 and 2022, UNL Research Fair 2021

Awards:

  • AGU2020 Student travel grant
  • Best student talk at the NAS2021 annual meeting
  • Outstanding Graduate Student Award 2020-2021 from the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

  • Asif's research was featured during 2021 UNL Research Days https://research.unl.edu/springresearchdays/

Master Thesis: Geological structures and crustal architecture of the Cascadia subduction zone from the integration of multiple geophysical datasets

What is next? Ph.D. program, University of Oregon

Way to go, Asif! Best of luck to you! 

Alexa Fernandez Bravo Alexa Fernandez Bravo

Contact: alexa.fernandez@huskers.unl.edu

Graduation Date: Summer 2021, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Awards: UCARE stipend (Summer 2020, Fall2020-Spring 2021)

Project Title: Geophysical mapping of the Bathymetrists Seamounts in the Atlantic Ocean

Results Presented: Nebraska Academy of Sciences in 2020 and 2021, AGU 20220,

UCARE summer 2020  https://mediahub.unl.edu/media/14008, UNL research Fair 20201

UCARE thesis: Integrated geophysical analysis over Bathymetrists seamounts and Sierra Leone Rise

What is next? MS program, UNL Geophysics team

Glad to have you with us, Alexa!

Sulaiman Al Badi

Contact: salbadi2@huskers.unl.edu

Graduation Date: Summer 2021, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Awards: Research Assistantship (Spring 2021)

Project Title: Drone-based magnetic surveying over the Nort Bounding Fault in eastern Nebraska

Results Presented: NAS2021

Senior Thesis: Drone-Based Magnetic Surveying in Eastern Nebraska

What is next? well site geologist for Columbine Corporation, Texas

Congratulations, Sulaiman! We are extremely proud of you!

Khawlh Al Farsi

Khawlh Al Farsi

Contact: kalfarsi2@huskers.unl.edu  

Graduation Date: Summer 2021, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Awards: Research Assistantship (Fall2020-Spring 2021)

Project Title: Geophysical studies over Cascadia subduction zone

Results Presented: UNL Research Fair 2021, NAS2021

Senior Thesis: Developing a Database of Seismic Data Over the Cascadia Subduction Zone

What is next? OQ Internship, Muscat, Oman

Congratulations, Khawlha! We wish you all the best!

Courtney Robb

Courtney Robb

Undergraduate Researcher

Contact: crobb222@cox.net

Expected Graduation Date: Summer 2021, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Awards: UCARE stipend (Fall2020-Spring 2021); withdrew from the program

Project Title: Testing the UNL own seismometer (HUSKERS)

We wish you all the best, Courtney!

Evan Parsons

Evan Parsons

Contact: evan.parsons@yahoo.com

Graduation Date: Summer 2020, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Project Title: Building UNL own seismometer (HUSKERS)

Project Description: Evan built a vertical seismometer based on the SM-24 geophone with the Arduino-UNO digitizing system.

Results Presented: UNL Research Fair (2019), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2019)

Newspaper Article: Football-Induced seismicity

What is next? Geophysicist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, NE

Congratulations, Evan! We are so proud of you!

Erik Jacobson

Erik Jacobson

Contact: ekjac@yahoo.com

Graduation Date: Spring 2020, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Awards: UCARE stipend (2019-2020)

Project Title: Developing and testing the drone-based magnetic field measurement system

Senior Thesis: Developing a Low-Cost Aeromagnetic Surveying System

Results Presented: UNL Research Fair (2019, 2020), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2019, 2020), Summit on Drone Geophysics (presented by Dr. Filina, November 2020).

What is next? Environmental Specialist II, Monitoring and Remediation Division, Nebraska Department of Energy and Environment

Congratulations, Erik! Best of luck!

Hannah Botten

Hannah Botten

Contact: hannah.botten@huskers.unl.edu

Graduation Date: August 2019, Bachelor of Science (Geology, Math)

Project Title: Studying the 2018 earthquake swarm in central Nebraska

Results Presented: UNL Research Fair (2019), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2019)

Teaching: Learning Assistant for Intro to Geophysics Course (Fall 2018)

What is next? We have lost connection with Hannah. If you know her new contact info, please propagate it to us. We miss you, Hannah!

Patrick Szopinski

Patrick Szopinski

Contact: patrick.szop@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-szopinski/

Graduation Date: May 2019, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Project Title: Geophysical analysis of the Midcontinent Rift's subsurface structures in southeastern Nebraska (Honors Undergraduate Thesis)

Citation: Szopinski, P. 2019. Geophysical Analysis of the Midcontinent Rift's Subsurface Structure in Southeastern Nebraska. Undergraduate Honors Thesis. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Results Presented: UNL Research Fair (2017, 2019), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2019)

Teaching: Learning Assistant for Intro to Geophysics Course (Fall 2017)

What is next? Staff Engineer for GSG Consultants, Inc. in Schaumburg, Illinois. We are proud of you, Patrick!

Claire Richardson

Claire Richardson

Contact: clairerichardson2014@gmail.com

Graduation Date: December 2018, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Project Title: Geologic history of New Caledonia Trough from potential fields modeling and tectonic restoration (Honors Undergraduate Thesis)

Citation: Richardson, C. 2018 Integrated Geophysical Analysis of the New Caledonia Trough with Implications for the Geologic History and Continental Status of Zealandia. Undergraduate Honors Thesis. University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Project Description: developing an integrated geophysical model of the New Caledonia Trough in Zealandia, using gravity and magnetics potential field data as well as reflection and refraction seismic.

Results Presented: American Geophysical Union (2018), UNL Research Fair (2018), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2018)

Internship: IRIS internship at the Australian National University, Summer 2017; travel-time tomography as a tool to image the deep earth.

What is next? Graduate student, Arizona State University. Congratulations, Claire!

Lucas Hartford

Lucas Hartford

Graduation Date: August 2018, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Contact: loupriv@live.com

Current Role: Geophysicist at Terracon Consulting

So proud of you, Lucas!

Project Title: Subsurface structure in Southeastern Gulf of Mexico from integrative geophysical analysis

Project Description: This project is focused on the subsurface structures of the Southeastern Gulf of Mexico with special emphasis on the pre-salt sedimentary section. Several integrated geophysical models were developed in the study area, allowing mapping the major tectonic structures, evaluating the thickness and delineating the extent of the pre-salt section, and deriving the thickness of individual crustal units.

Results Presented: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (2018), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2017, 2018), UNL Research Fair (2017, 2018)

Publication: Marine and Petroleum Geology (2021).

Mei Liu

Mei Liu

Graduation Date: August 2018, Master of Science (Geology)

Contact: mliu24@huskers.unl.edu

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mei_Liu40

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mei-liu-01a167112/

Current Role: Ph.D. earned from the University of Houston Congratulations, Mei!

MS Thesis Title:  Integrated geophysical analysis of the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Results Presented: American Geophysical Union (2017, 2018), Geological Society of America (2017), American Association of Petroleum Geologists (2018), UNL Research Fair (2017, 2018), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2017, 2018)

Publications: Interpretation (2019), Tectonophysics (2020)

Awards: from Nebraska Geological Society for her talk "Integrated Geophysical Studies in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico" at the Nebraska Academy of Sciences annual meeting (April 21, 2017).

Kris Guthrie

Kris Guthrie

Graduation Date: May 2018, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Contact: kristen.guthrie@huskers.unl.edu

Current Role: graduated with MS from UNL Geophysics Lab in 2022! CONGRATULATIONS, Kris! Best of luck to you!

Senior Thesis Title: Analysis of Subsurface Faults in Nebraska from Earthquakes and Potential Fields

Project Description: This study focuses on mapping these subsurface faults from an integrative analysis of potential fields and earthquake data. The earthquake database developed in this research project provides important constraints to the World Stress Map, which currently lacks data for the state of Nebraska. Additionally, the subsurface faults mapped in this study are important for a better understanding of the recent spikes in seismic activity in the study area.

Results Presented: Geological Society of America (2017, 2018), American Association of Petroleum Geologists (2018), UNL Research Fair (2018), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2018)

Senior Thesis: Analysis of Subsurface Faults in Nebraska from Earthquakes and Potential Fields

Publications: The Mountain Geologist (2018)

Awards: The talk entitled "Earthquake database for Nebraska as a constraint for Midcontinent Rift related faults" was selected as a Runner Up in the Undergraduate Student Oral Presentations at the 2018 North-Central Section meeting of the Geological Society of America in Ames, Iowa April 17, 2018.
Evan Quartoroli

Evan Quartoroli

Graduation Date: May 2017, Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Contact: linkedin.com/in/evan-quartoroli-a4642b120

Current Role: Geologist, RDG geoscience and engineering, Omaha, NE

Project Title: Geophysical data analysis of the Midcontinent Rift, Nebraska

Results Presented: UNL Research Fair (2017), Nebraska Academy of Sciences (2017)