Geology students involved in research or other special opportunities make oral or poster presentations during the last week of class each semester. All geology majors must conduct and present research as part of their capstone requirement. Many research projects were also presented at professional meetings, such as at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America.
Spring 2011
- Research Project: Groundwater Flow Through Fractures in Crystalline Rock in the Coweeta
Group at
Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, North Carolina
Lily Savitsky [Waters-Tormey, Kinner] {GSA Abstract} - M.S. Thesis: Effects of Water Quality on Appalachian Elktoe Mussels in the Little
Tennessee River
Jason Jarvis [Miller] {GSA Abstract} - Course Research Project: Analysis of Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction in a Headwaters
Stream System
in the Southern Appalachians, Cullowhee, NC. Part A: Physical Setting in Different Hydrogeomorphic
Reaches.
Chad Hiatt, Matthew Burnette, and Blake Roberts [Lord, Kinner] {GSA Abstract} - Course Research Project: Analysis of Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction in a Headwaters
Stream System
in the Southern Appalachians, Cullowhee, NC. Part B: Hydrology in Different Hydrogeomorphic Settings
Liz Allen, Ashley MacIntyre, Jason Dobyne, and Mark Padgett [Lord, Kinner] {GSA Abstract} - Senior Thesis: Measurment of Shallow Hydraulic Conductivity Profiles in Potential
Lansdslide Initiation
Zones of the Mountains of Western North
Matthew Burnette [Kinner] - Senior Thesis: Using geospatial tools to assess mineral grain spacing in two dimensions.
Michael Stillwagon [Waters-Tormey] {AGU Abstract}
FALL 2010
- Senior Thesis: Measurment of Shallow Hydraulic Conductivity Profiles in Potential
Lansdslide Initiation
Zones of the Mountains of Western North
Matthew Burnette [Kinner] - M.S. Thesis: Determination of Trace Element Provenance in the Rio Loa Basin,
Leslie Wilson, Graduate Student, Chemistry [Miller] {GSA Abstract} - Senior Thesis: Carbon Sequestration Rates in a constructed Wetland in Jackson County
Park, North Carolina
Harrison Carter [Tanner]
SPRING 2010
- Senior Thesis: Reflected Light Image Analysis Method: Application to Magnetic Mineral
SPO Measurements
Tiffany Liner [Waters-Tormey] - Senior Thesis: Carbon Sequestration Rates of Different Marsh Zones in the Schoodic
Marsh of Acadia
National Park, Maine
Lee Sorrell [Tanner] {GSA Abstract} - Research Project: Development, Mass Movement and Weathering Profiles: A Slow Moving
Weathered Rock
Slide in Western North
Preston Jacobsen [Kinner & Waters-Tormey] {GSA Abstract} - Senior Thesis: Reflected Light Image Analysis Method: Application to Magnetic Mineral
SPO Measurements
Tiffany Liner [Waters-Tormey] - Research Project: Do Reach-Scale Geomorphically Defined Process Zones Predict Sensitivity
of Channel
Systems and Hydrologic Processes in the Mountains of the Central Great Basin?
Rachael Tury and Danvey Walsh, ]Lord, Miller] {GSA Abstract} - Senior Research Seminar: Hydrologic, geomorphic, and geologic setting characteristics
of a Small southern
Appalachian stream System, Cullowhee Creek, NC
Andrew Allen, Jesse Buchanan, Steven Evans, Seth Goad, John Hayes, Jennifer McKibben, Kurt Remington,
Cory Sills, David Stainback, Rachael Tury, Danvey Walsh [Lord and Yurkovich] {GSA Abstract 1} {GSA Abstract 2}
SPRING 2008
-
Senior Thesis: Infiltration and Moisture Movement in Native River Cane Stands, Western North Carolina
Andrew Moore {GSA Abstract} -
Research Project Participants: Paleo-Environmental Investigation of Panthertown Bog, Western North Carolina
Alex Causey, Travis Daniels, Heather Gregory, & Katelyn Sutcliffe [Kinner & Tanner] -
Senior Thesis: Finding a Fingerprint for Salt Pool Depostis in Maine Salt Marshes, U.S.A.
Evan Allen [Tanner] {GSA Abstract} -
Senior Thesis: Differentiation between The Cartoogechaye and Dahlonega Gold Belt Terranes using Petrologic and Geochemical Analysis of the Mafic Blocks, Western North Carolina Chad Harrold [Yurkovich]
SPRING 2007
- Senior Thesis: Strain marker shape preferred orientation changes across a strain gradient
in a granulite facies shear zone, Capricorn ridge, Mt. Hay block, central Australia.
Kim Wepasnick [Waters-Tormey] {GSA Abstract} - Senior Thesis: Analysis of the effect of storm events on suspended sediment and turbidity
in Allens Creek, Town of Waynesville Watershed, North Carolina
Chris Tennant [Miller & Lord] {GSA Abstract} - Senior Thesis: Determining Physical and Chemical Properties of Canebrakes in western
North Carolina
Katie McDowell [Tanner, Young, Kinner] {GSA Abstract 1} {GSA Abstract 2} - Senior Research Seminar Class: Geological assessment of a creeping slope: Hunters
Crossing, Waynesville, NC
Ryan Byas, Heather Gregory, & Adam Hunter (Non-senior participants: Evan Allen, Alex Causey) [Waters-Tormey, Kinner] - Senior Thesis: Evidence of Rapid Climate Change in Eolianites of the Last Interglacial:
San Salvador Island, Bahamas
Laura Duncan [Tormey] {GSA Abstract} - Senior Thesis: Sea-level History of the Last Interglacial from Nearshore Facies on
San Salvador Island, Bahamas
Ryan LeBlanc [Tormey] {GSA Abstract}
FALL 2006
- Research Project Participants: River Cane characterization
Katie McDowell, Adam Griffin (grad), Michael Yow, Megan Arrington [Young, Tanner, Kinner] - Research Project Participants: Evaluation of Stream Restoration Projects, North Carolina
Nate Irwin (grad.), Jessica Jaynes (grad.), Pat Jarrett, Ben Jackson, Michelle Peterson, Adam Hunter, & Heather Gould [Miller & Lord] - Independent Research: Oxygen Isotope Record of Tropical Cyclone Activity for Coastal
North Carolina
Ed Gonzales (grad.), Aaron Watkins [Tanner] - Research Project Participants: Geomorphology and Hydrogeology of incising stream in
upland riparian meadows, Nevada
Amy Kunst, Ben Jackson [Lord & Miller] - Coastal Field Trip: Sapelo Island, Georgia
Michael Yow for class [Tanner] - Hydrogeology Class: Hydrogeologic characterization and Groundwater Model for WCU
Matt Wenke for class [Lord] - Petrology class and Structural Geology class: Cross course project: Structural and Petrologic analysis of two geologic terranes: are they really two terranes? [Yurkovich & Waters-Tormey]
- Senior Thesis: Determining the relationship between storm surge intensity along the
Mississippi coast and the location of barrier islands.
Andrew Hooper [Young]
SPRING 2006
- Senior Thesis: Meadow Fork and Rector Branch mylonite zones, southwest of the Hot
Springs window, western NC
Karen Watrous [Waters-Tormey] {GSA Abstract} - Independent Research: Hydrogeologic characterization of riparian wetland, central
Nevada
Chris Tennant, Vince Morgan, Chris Means [Lord & Miller] {GSA Abstract} - Independent Research: River Cane Restoration and Characterization Project
Katie McDowell & Adam Griffith [Young, Tanner]
FALL 2005
- Senior Research Seminar Class: A monitoring proposal for the removal of the Dillsboro
dam
Ben Jackson, Chris Means, Vincent Morgan, Phillip Perkinson, Tim Sheehan, and Chris Tennant [Lord] {GSA Abstract} - Independent Research: Identification of Rock Deformation Mechanisms in Thin Section
Karen Watrous [Waters-Tormey] - Coastal Field Trip: Outerbanks, NC
Laura Duncan for class [Waters-Tormey, Allmendinger] - Independent Research: Hydrogeologic characterization of riparian wetland, central
Nevada
Chris Tennant [Lord & Miller]
FALL 2004
- Independent Research: Hydrogeologic characterization of riparian wetland, central
Nevada
Vincent Morgan [Lord] - Hydrogeology Class: A Preliminary Groundwater Model for WCU
James Bolick, Nick Bozdog, Jon Collins, Chris Means, Vincent Morgan, Phillip Perkinson, Katie Stewart, John Taylor, & Lionel Villarroel [Lord] - Geophysics Class: Resistivity ‘Drilling’ of new WCU Groundwater well site
Nick Bozdog & Katie Stewart [Waters-Tormey] - Independent Research: Sediment Transport in Cullowhee Creek: baseline data for stream
restoration
Amanda Barnes, John Wetzel, & Keith Tyburski [Almendinger]
FALL 2003
- Senior Thesis: Hydrogeologic conditions causing erosion of trench systems in riparian
wetlands, central Nevada
Reed Johnson [Lord & Miller] - Senior Thesis Proposal: Appalachian heath balds as paleoecologic indicators
Chris Bochicchio [Young] {GSA Abstract} - Independent Research: Understanding & restoring riparian meadow systems, central Nevada:
a collaborative project of WCU, the U.S. EPA, the U.S. Forest Service, and Lafayette
College
Bryan Lowder [Miller & Lord] - Geology Blue Ridge Field Trip: Overview of Geol 491 Field Trip in the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park
Katie Stewart & Chris Means for class [Yurkovich & Lord]
SPRING 2003
- Senior Research Seminar: Using amphibolite petrology to fingerprint tectonic elements
in the Blue Ridge, NC
Kurtis Beshers, Erin Greene, Chris Hanley [Peterson] - Senior Thesis: Analysis of geomorphic response of a stream impacted by Golf Course
development, Waynesville, NC
Wesley Craver (with research assistant, Lukus Garland) [Miller] - Senior Thesis Proposal: Channel entrenchment driven by groundwater sapping, central
Great Basin, Nevada
Reed Johnson [Lord, Miller] - Independent Research: Instrumentation and Analysis of Cullowhee Creek water quality
during storms
Katie Stewart [Lord] - Independent Research: Monitoring wetland hydroperiod for southern Appalachian wetlands
in Great Smoky Mtn. N.P.
Christopher Bochicchio [Young] - Small Group Research: Downstream sedimentation effects from a partial dam failure,
Highlands, NC
Christopher Bochicchio, Kurtis Beshers, Bryan Allison, Tom Hutson, & Ronnie Dilbeck [Lord & Miller] {GSA Abstract} - Independent Research: Enka and Weaverville Digital Geologic Map production
Christopher Bochicchio and Michael Cole [Peterson]
