I am currently a PhD student in the School of Earth and Sustainability at Northern Arizona University. My primary research interests combine applications of structural geology, tectonogeomorphology and geophysical surveys to analyze geologic hazards in the upper crust. I am actively researching topics related to shallow earthquake rupture and tsunamigenic subduction zone hazards for my PhD. My MS research analyzed the kinematics and timing of late Holocene ruptures in a geometrically complex and distributed fault zone between the Ash Hill and Panamint Valley faults in Panamint Valley, California.
While I am primarily a field geologist, I also have experience with ArcGIS Pro and ArcPy, and I have written an R package to analyze offsets from distributed, paleoseismic events using 2D cumulative-offset probability density curves. You can find any code that I am working on at github.com/AubreyLaPlante
My Approach To science
I am extremely passionate about making science accessible to all learning styles. I am a very visual learner, and in the past, I have felt ostracized by conventional scientific ways of thinking and expression (i.e., conventional scientific posters). For this reason, I try to push the limits of scientific expression and student engagement. I encourage multilingual research presentations, closed captioning, visual minimalism, and the incorporation of cross-discipline research projects and scientific questions. I believe it is absolutely necessary to identify how historically excluded racial, ethnic, and gender minorities can find identity in, and passion for, environmental and geologic sciences. We must establish collaborative working environments by providing extra space and time for early-career scientists to express their ideas and unique perspectives. Additionally, we must push for stronger representation of ethnogeologic perspectives, and collaborate with indigenous communities where our science is conducted.
Education
PhD in Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University (2022 - current) MS in Geology, Northern Arizona University (2022) BS in Geology (Physics minor), Western Washington University (2015)
Commitees
I have served as an Executive Committee member of SZ4Grads since 2022. We operate within the larger SZ4D community to advertise networking, training, and mentorship opportunities to graduate students and other early career researchers. We highlight research from SZ4Grads members, and work with SZ4D committees to address the needs of graduate students in submitted proposals.
Since 2023, I have acted as a student representative on the NAU SES Graduate Leadership Council. I attend monthly faculty meetings and grad leadership meetings, where I take notes on current issues and identify the needs of graduate students. On this committee, I work to increase the frequency and effectiveness of communication between graduate students, faculty, and administration by sending out monthly emails to graduate student listserves to advise them on important current events and news. Additionally, I collaborate with other graduate student leaders to organize community-building social events, and raise money for our program.
Contact
[email protected] Geology #100 School of Earth and Sustainability Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011