President: Mallory Picl
Vice-President: Brennan Williams-Mieding
Financial Officer: Madeline Hunt
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer: Tanzila Hanif
Faculty Liaison: Skye Bensel
Community Engagement Chair: Aman KC
President: Mallory Picl
I am a second year Geosciences Master’s student here at Boise State, studying western juniper expansion due to various disturbances (e.g. climate change). I am located on the fourth floor, where you will either find me in the Earth, Wind, and Fire lab or at my desk in cube 4F. I received my Bachelors of Science in Geology from Iowa State University, with two minors in Forestry and Sustainability. Outside of research, I love to hike, camp, read, walk on the Greenbelt, explore the many great restaurants in and around Boise, and travel! I look forward to working with the other members of GGO to continue fostering inclusivity and uplifting everyone in our department!
Vice-President: Brennan Williams-Mieding
My name is Brennan Williams-Mieding, and I am a second semester M.S. student in Geosciences working with Brittany Brand on a Volcanology focused thesis. In between completion of my Geology undergraduate degree at Sonoma State University and my current degree at Boise State, I’ve worked for both a geothermal logging contractor on drill rigs in Nevada, Hawaii, Utah and California, as well as a gold mining company logging rhyolitic ignimbrite core samples in Nevada. I love weight lifting, hiking, reading, gardening and traveling whenever I get the chance, and I’m always happy to help others with suggestions for exploring and exercising! You can find my cubicle on the 5th floor (5B) if you have any questions!
Financial Officer: Madeline Hunt
I am a 2nd year PhD student in geophysics, using infrasound to track and monitor wildfires. I am also interested in geoscience instrumentation, so you can find me soldering in the lab or in my cubicle on the 3rd floor. I majored in physics and geophysics during my undergrad at UNC Chapel Hill, and I worked as a Polar Field Engineer at EarthScope for 3 years before starting my PhD. Outside of research, I love running, trail work, and sewing!
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer: Tanzila Hanif
I am a Ph.D. scholar at Boise State in the Department of Geosciences. I am from Pakistan and joined Boise State in Fall 2021 to pursue my career as a soil scientist. My research is focused on pedogenic carbonates with emphasis on carbon storage in irrigated and non-irrigated dryland soils of Idaho (Reynolds Creek CZO and Kimberly sites) and the impacts of land-use and climatic gradients on carbon storage in dryland soils. It includes field-based studies in combination with geochemical characterization of pedogenic carbonates. I earned my undergraduate and master’s from the University of the Punjab, Pakistan. I had served as a Lecturer in Geology at my home institution for one year. I had contributions in different research projects which included sedimentary facies analysis, biostratigraphic, sequence stratigraphic, and isotopic study (oxygen and carbon isotopes) of carbonates, as well as sedimentology and the geochemical characteristics of clastic rocks.
Faculty Liason: Skye Bensel
Hello all, I am a second-year Masters student studying Hydrologic Sciences. My research is focused on hydrogeophysics and water storage dynamics. I am originally from Wyoming, and enjoy fieldworking, running, biking skiing, you name it. In my spare time you can find me biking the greenbelt, coding, or in someone’s cubicle yapping away.
Community Engagement Chair: Aman KC
Hi everyone! I am a geophysics PhD student, studying interaction of ice-ocean boundaries using remote sensing in Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). I received my Bachelors in Geomatics Engineering from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Outside of research I love hiking, traveling, floating the river, and playing basketball. I am enthusiastic about carrying forward the excellent initiatives to foster a spirit of togetherness and belonging within the department.
Congratulations to our new officers!