Marine Sedimentation Studies

Katherine Allen (University of Maine Orono/School of Earth and Climate Sciences ) has projects in the marine sedimentology and stable isotope laboratories. There are two main projects in which the student/s will be involved, depending on interest: 1) Investigating Maine’s water cycle through stable isotope analysis, and 2) Paleoceanography of the Gulf of Maine. To prepare for this work, the student/s will receive lab and field safety training, as well as training in specific methods: field collection of water samples for stable isotope analysis, laboratory training in stable isotope analysis, processing of marine sediment samples, and micropaleontology (fossil identification). Student/s will take weekly water samples from the Penobscot River to monitor composition from winter through the spring runoff and into the summer. They will assist with laboratory analysis of these samples and participate in construction of an online database where data will be stored and eventually shared with the community. The working hours are flexible.