High-precision geochronological data is vital to addressing a host of questions in the geosciences, particularly those exploring the rates of geological processes, and establishing the causal mechanisms of geological events. Geochronology using radiogenic isotopes thus plays a key role in my research and that of my students.

Here in the Department of Geosciences at Boise State University, we are building a new center of excellence in high-precision geochronology, focusing on ID-TIMS measurement of the U-Th-Pb chronometers in a variety of accessory minerals, including zircon, monazite, titanite, apatite, rutile, complemented by tracer isotope studies using the Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, Lu-Hf and U-Th-Pb systems. These methods will be applied to a variety of problems in igneous and metamorphic petrology, structural geology and tectonics, paleobiological evolution and paleoclimate change in deep time. Follow the current research link to descriptions of some of these research initiatives...

The cross-disciplinary application of isotope geochemistry and geochronology is a strong growth field in the Earth sciences. If you're a prospective student interested in gaining expertise in isotope geochemistry and applying isotopic methods to geological and petrological problems, I encourage you to contact me regarding research opportunities in the Department of Geosciences at Boise State University!