Seminars, News, and Events
Seminars, News, and Events
Stay current with the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences — from our weekly seminar series featuring visiting scientists and departmental researchers to student awards, fieldwork, and recent discoveries. Check back for upcoming talks and the latest news from our labs and field sites.
McWilliams Seminar Series
The "W. Kent McWilliams Geological Research Fund" was formally established in 1980 by Kent McWilliams, an alumnus of Tulane University and co-founder of the McMoRan Exploration Company, to provide essential support for the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EENS), which was then known as the Department of Geology. A key provision of this endowment was the establishment of the weekly McWilliams Seminar Series.
EENS News
Tulane professor wins national award for contributions to geology
Geologist Cynthia Ebinger, a professor in the Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, has won the 2021 George P. Woollard Award from the Geological Society of America.
Ebinger, the Marshall-Heape Chair in Geology in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, was honored for her “outstanding contributions to geology through the application of the principles and techniques of geophysics.”
Studies find that river diversions can overcome Louisiana’s rapid sinking
Two new studies led by former Tulane University doctoral students show the likely benefits of land building by river diversions, despite these deposits initially causing rapid subsidence in coastal Louisiana.
Tulane geologist wins national award for research and outreach
Nicole Gasparini, a geologist in the Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, has won numerous awards during her professional career, but the latest one might be the most satisfying.
Gasparini has been named the winner of the 2021 Marguerite T. Williams Award, given annually by the American Geophysical Union’s Earth and Planetary Surface Processes Section. The award is named for the nation’s first Black woman to earn a PhD in geology in 1942. She was 47 at the time, having returned to college mid-career.
Tulane scientist part of mission to Venus
A Tulane University planetary scientist is one of 30 scientists from across the United States and Europe who will be part of a NASA mission to Venus, Earth’s nearest neighbor.
Jennifer Whitten, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, will serve as associate deputy principal investigator on the VERITAS team as it circles the fiery planet.
Engineering of the Mississippi River has kept carbon out of the atmosphere, according to new study
A new study co-authored by a Tulane University geoscientist shows that human efforts to tame the Mississippi River may have had an unintended positive effect: more rapid transport of carbon to the ocean.
Student Awards
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Meryl LaRue and Zachary Hom
Harold E. Vokes Award: Kristen Webster
Department Chair Award: Claudia Miller
Senior Scholar Award: Meryl LaRue
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Zoe Shribman
Graduate Research Award: Eduardo Arzabala
Outstanding Teaching Assistant: Meryl LaRue
Outstanding Teaching Assistant: Kaetlyn Rodriguez
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Charlie Vratimos
Harold E. Vokes Award: Kayla Willis
Department Chair Award: Emma Knight
Senior Scholar Award: Juliet Wall
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Alan Braeley
Graduate Research Award: Ekanshu Mallick
Outstanding Teaching Assistant: Britt Johnson
Outstanding Teaching Assistant: Augustine Arogundade
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Trap Puckette
Harold E. Vokes Award: Carson Mack
Department Chair Award: Reilly Seeley
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Martin Musila
Outstanding Research Assistant: Carolina Hurtado Pulido
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Emily Nochowicz
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Garrett Sullivan
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Sergio Villamarin
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Nicole Phaneuf
Harold E. Vokes Award: Shaina Brown
Department Chair Award: Claire Hudson
Department Chair Award: Owen Williamson
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Jose Silvestre
Outstanding Research Assistant: Martin Musila
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Alan Braeley
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Rory Escobedo
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Marvin Osorio
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Samantha Hilburn
Harold E. Vokes Award: Olivia Boraiko
Department Chair Award: Laurel Mire
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Abdul Wahab
Outstanding Research Assistant: Lola Akintomide
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Maricel Burgos Beltran
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Will Heck
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Hailey McDonald
Harold E. Vokes Award: Jennifer Riggin
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Udita Mukherjee
Outstanding Research Assistant: Cari Rand
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Rachel Sortor
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Kevin Reece
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Sara Nethercutt
Harold E. Vokes Award: Grace Cushing
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Keir Nichols
Outstanding Research Assistant: Segun Adebayo
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Autumn Murray
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Sabrina Martinez
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Carrie Leibensperger
Dept. Earth & Environmental Sciences Chair’s Award: Audrey Brown
Dept. Earth & Environmental Sciences Honors Senior Scholar Award: Abby Eckland
Harold E. Vokes Award: Abby Eckland
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Sarah Jaye Oliva
Outstanding Research Assistant: Molly Keogh
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Dana Carstens
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Thi Quan Pham
Undergraduate Award Recipients
The R.A. Steinmayer Award: Carey A. Schafer
Harold E. Vokes Award: James Anthony Leon
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Segun Adebayo
Outstanding Research Assistant: Michael Ramirez
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Molly Keogh
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Ripul Dutt
Undergraduate Award Recipients
Reinhard A. Steinmayer Award: Claire E. Beauchamp
Harold E. Vokes Award: Ethan B. Ader
Graduate Award Recipients
The Vokes Fellowship: Jordan Adams
Outstanding Research Assistant: Qi Li
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Michael Hopkins
Outstanding Senior Teaching Assistant: Molly Keogh
New Orleans Geological Society Scholarship Awards
Graduate Scholarships
Kaetlyn Rodriguez — $3,500
Mao Mao — $3,250
Oluwadamilare Odugbesan — $3,250
Senior Scholarships | $3,000 each
Gracen Miller
Michael Douglas
Junior Scholarships | $2,500 each
Charlie Goldstein
Danh Ngo
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
Cirus Kalugana - $3,000 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Mikey Sison - $2,500 Cash Award
George W Schneider Special Award
Emily Kraus - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
Kayla Willis - $2,000 Cash Award
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
James Lopez - $3,000 Cash Award
George W. Schneider Special Award
Ekanshu Mallick - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Carson Mack - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
Shale Kennedy - $2,000 Cash Award
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
Jose Silvestre - $3,000 Cash Award
George W. Schneider Special Award
Nadim Abu Hashmeh - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Nicole Phaneuf - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
Trap Puckett - $2,000 Cash Award
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
Omolola Akintomide - $3,000 Cash Award
George W. Schneider Special Award
Abdul Wahab - $2500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Samantha Hilburn - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
McKenna Price-Patak - $2,000 Cash Award
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
Udita Mukherjee - $3,000 Cash Award
George W. Schneider Special Award
Sarah Jaye Oliva - $2500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Haily MacDonald - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
Samantha Hilburn - $2,000 Cash Award
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
Cari Rand - $3,000 Cash Award
George W. Schneider Special Award
Keir Nichols - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Sara Nethercutt – $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
Colby LeJeune - $2,000 Cash Award
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
Daniel Culling - $3,000 Cash Award
George W. Schneider Special Award
Christopher Young - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Abigail Eckland - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
Sara Nethercutt - $2,000 Cash Award
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
Tushar Bishnoi - $3,000 Cash Award
George W. Schneider Special Award
Molly Keogh - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Amanda Cuesta - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
Audrey Brown - $2,000 Cash Award
James Allen Gilreath Graduate Scholarship
Michael Ramirez - $3,000 Cash Award
George W. Schneider Special Award
Elizabeth Chamberlain - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Senior Scholarship
Claire Beauchamp - $2,500 Cash Award
Jules & Olga Braunstein Memorial Junior Scholarship
Margo Habets - $2,000 Cash Award
Departmental Highlights
EENS Senior, Emily Kraus, Awarded Gates Cambridge Scholarship
September 24th, 2024
Mangroves are 'just awesome,' says Tulane researcher
March 24th, 2024
Tulane EES Graduate Student, Guandong Li's, Work Featured in the Washington Post
February 16th, 2024
The Washington Post: Facing the surge
August 7, 2023
Student Receives Summer Undergraduate Program for Planetary Research (SUPPR) Internship
April 7, 2021
EES Student Sasha Culvahouse received one of 8 internship positions. Congratulations, Sasha!
Student Receives an Outstanding Student Presentation Award at AGU 2020
March 4, 2021
PhD student Martin Musila was awarded an OPSA during this year's meeting. Congratulations, Martin!
PhD Student Featured on EGU Blogs
March 20, 2020
Keir Nichols was a guest author for the Cryosphere division explaining how radiocarbon can help us understand ice sheets.
EENS Graduate Student Receives AGU Earth and Planetary Surface Processes Young Researcher Spotlight
August 30, 2019
PhD student Sam Anderson is interviewed for the AGU EPSP September Young Researcher Spotlight.
New Elevation Measure Shows Climate Change Could Quickly Swamp the Mekong Delta
August 28, 2019
Torbjörn Törnqvist, geology professor at Tulane, says inaccurate topography data hinders efforts to predict how soon part of a delta can fall below sea level.
High School intern guides discovery of world’s largest underwater eruption.
May 21, 2019
New Orleans Science and Technology High School senior Makiyah Cormick studied time-space patterns of East African earthquakes during a 2018 internship in Tulane's Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, and he spotted an unusual pattern. After comparisons with earthquakes occuring during recent Galapagos and Hawaii eruptions, he concluded that the earthquakes were caused by a submarine eruption on Mayotte volcano, Comoros. He presented his results at the Fall American Geophysical Union meeting in Washington DC, and his abstract motivated French scientists to undertake marine surveys in the area. Their exciting discoveries of a new volcano in construction are published in Science. Unfortunately, we won't be able to name the new volcano Mt Makiyah. Read More >>
Student Awarded at the South Central GSA Section Meeting
March 29, 2019
Rachel Sortor, PhD student was awarded the student presentation award for the South Central GSA Section Meeting this week.