Professional Experience
Assistant Professor
Virginia Tech, Department of Geosciences – Blacksburg, VA – 2019-present
Postdoctoral Associate
University of California Davis, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences – Davis, CA – 2018-2019
• Mentor: Sarah Stewart
Postdoctoral Associate
Carnegie Institution of Washington, Geophysical Laboratory – Washington, DC – 2015-2018
• Mentor: Yingwei Fei
Education and Research Experience
PhD Earth Science
Rice University – Houston, TX – 2010-2015
• Thesis: Carbon in silicate melt – Experimental constraints and applications for the subduction zone and magma ocean carbon cycles
• Advisor: Rajdeep Dasgupta
MS Earth and Planetary Sciences
University of New Mexico – Albuquerque, NM – 2008-2010
• Thesis: The partial molar volume of carbon dioxide in peridotite partial melt at high pressure
• Advisor: Carl Agee
BS Geology
Clemson University – Clemson, SC – 2003-2007
• Graduated Magna Cum Laude with Departmental Honors
• Senior Thesis: Characterizing fractured, crystalline aquifers using multi-level, interference slug tests
• Advisor: Larry Murdoch
Teaching Experience
Virginia Tech
GEOS 6704 The Deep Earth Volatile Cycle – Spring 2020
GEOS 5704 Thermodynamics – Spring 2021 (online)
GEOS 2104 Elements of Geology – Fall 2020 (online), Fall 2021
Rice University
Teaching Assistant – Spring 2012
• ESCI 214 The Planets (Professor: Adrian Lenardic)
Clemson University College of Engineering and Science
Tutor – 2005-2007
• Tutored freshmen in the Residents In Science and Engineering Program in calculus, chemistry, physics, and general engineering
Students Advised
Virginia Tech
• P. Bose, PhD – 2019-present (co-advised with Scott King)
• F. C. McGroarty, MS 2021
Rice University
• Trained and advised an undergraduate (Michelle Muth) in laboratory techniques and an undergraduate research project – 2013-2015
Awards Received
Leroy Caleb Gibbon Award in Geology – 2016
Torkild Rieber Award – 2013
New Mexico Space Grant – 2009
Outstanding Junior in Geology – 2006
Clemson University’s President’s List – 2006, 2007
Clemson University’s Dean’s List – 2003-2007
Clemson University’s Calhoun Honor’s College – 2004-2007
Skills
Computer – Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Access; ArcGIS; Matlab; Adobe Illustrator; Perple_X; HeFESTo
Analytical – Piston Cylinder, Walker and Split sphere-style Multi-anvil, Depths of the Earth Quickpress, Electron Microprobe, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, SIMS
Languages – French-conversational level, Russian-beginner level
Organizations/Service
American Geophysical Union
Member – 2008-Current
• Co-convened 2016 Fall Meeting session: DI002: An integrated view of planetary bodies: insights from geochemistry, petrology, geophysics and modeling
• Co-convened 2020 Fall Meeting session: DI025: A multidisciplinary approach to understanding volatiles in Earth’s mantle
• Outstanding Student Paper Award Judge – 2016-2020
Geological Society of America
Member – 2014-Current
• Dwornik Award Judge (Lunar and Planetary Science Conference) – 2016-2019, 2022
Goldschmidt Meeting
• Co-convened 2018 Annual Meeting session: 02d: Geochemical and geodynamical constraints on the origin and evolution of planetary bodies
COMPRES
Education Outreach Infrastructure and Development Committee Member – 2019-present
CIDER (Cooperative Institute for Dynamic Earth Research)
Participant – Summer 2016
• Participated in collaborative research projects: “Metastability in the Mantle Transition Zone: A Collaborative Geodynamic, Petrologic, and Seismological Approach” and “On the Origin of High Shear Wave Velocities in the Deep Roots of Cratons”
• Received $5,000 grants to continue work
Participant – Summer 2014
• Participated in collaborative research project: “Mars Thermal History: Core, Atmosphere, Mantle, Phobos and Surface”
• Received $5,000 grant to continue work
GeoUnion (Rice Earth Science graduate student organization)
Crawfish Boil Co-coordinator – 2012, 2013
• Organized campus-wide crawfish boil activities
Wednesday Pre-Seminar Paper Reading Coordinator – 2012-2013
• Organized weekly, department-wide paper discussion of the invited seminar speaker
Treasurer – 2011-2012
• Organized service projects and meetings; managed budget
Clemson Geology Club
President – 2006
Vice President – 2005
Secretary/Treasurer – 2004
• Organized field trips, service projects, and meetings; managed budget
Clemson University College of Engineering and Science
Tour Guide – 2003-2006
• Gave tours of the Geology Department to high school juniors and seniors
Outreach
LAB Chat (Science Museum of Western Virginia)
•Presented current research to the local community: Woodland Hills retirement community (23 June 2021)
Virginia 4-H
Mars Base Camp Presenter – 2020
•Made a short video describing aspects of the project to students
Hokie Village
Presenter – 2019
• Presented Carbon-related demonstrations with the Department of Geosciences and the College of Science to students and parents before the Homecoming football game
VT Geofair
Presenter – 2019
• Presented petrology and microscope demonstrations with the Department of Geosciences to students and parents
UC Davis Picnic Day
Presenter – 2018, 2019
• Presented planetary science and petrology topics and demonstrations with the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences to students and parents
Planetary Science Palooza
Presenter – 2018
• Presented planetary science topics to students and parents in association with the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
· A Trip to Mars
· Solar System Scale
USA Science & Engineering Festival
Presenter – 2016
• Presented Earth Science topics at the Carnegie Science booth to students and parents
DC STEM Fair
Judge – 2016, 2017
• Judged high school and middle school science fair projects (19 March 2016, 11 March 2017)
• Judged elementary school science fair projects (4 June 2016, 3 June 2017)
Sally Ride Science Festival
Organized Earth Science presentations – 2012, 2013
Presenter – 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
• Organized and presented various topics in Earth Science to middle school students and parents
· Explosive Earth: The Science of Volcanoes
· How did we get our Solar System?
· Rock as we roll around campus/The Geology of Texas – Adult workshop—-
Megan S Duncan 