26 January, 2003

Amanda Charrier

I graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in the year 2001 with a B.S. degree from the department of Geography and Environmental Systems (G&ES). I began my college studies as a math and physics major, but transferred into the G&ES department after taking an introductory course in geology. UMBC did not offer a geology degree, but my interest in the subject never waned. When I began thinking about continuing my academic career in graduate school I decided to try and get accepted into a geology program. I entered the department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins University in the fall of 2001. I spent much of my first year taking classes in subjects such as igneous petrology, crystallography and mineralogy.

This past year (my second at JHU) I have been involved in creating a GIS (geographic information system) for the Dry Valleys region of Antarctica that my advisor, Bruce Marsh, has been studying. One of our primary goals is to reconstruct the 3-D geometry of the original (i.e., pre-erosion) sill complex structure. I have taken many notes and pictures of the exposures here to aid in the reconstruction.

I am also currently working with my advisor to design my thesis project. The lowest exposed sill, the Basement Sill, was formed ~180 million years ago when hot basaltic magma forced its way into the granitic country rock. The intruding magma carried with it many pre-existing crystals of orthopyroxene (OPX). I will learn about the environment in which these OPX crystals formed by studying the compositional changes in the crystals from their centers to their edges (i.e., from the beginning to the end of their growth). This information will help us determine the "history" of the crystals and aid us in understanding the dynamics of sill emplacement and magma chambers. Hello to everyone at home, especially

Mom & Dad - without your love and support I wouldn't be where I am today. My sister, Arwen - your organization and academic excellence were always a model for me (though it took me the better part of high school and college to get it right!).

Dr. Andy Miller and Dr. Roger Dubois - your advice, mentoring, and examples were key inspirations for my academic career.

Also in my thoughts are my Papa, Granny & Charlie, all the Crockett girls, the Mattinglys, the Perkinsons, and of course the rest of the Tibaldis and Charriers.

Thanks again to Matt, for taking care of my kitties; and to N, G, B, K, J, L, P, C, M for keeping my san up.

1. Amanda Charrier