معرفی
Katherine Fornash is an Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator in the Department of Earth and Environmental Geosciences at Ohio University’s College of Arts and Sciences. She is also affiliated with the Nanoscale Quantum Phenomena Institute (NQPI). Her research integrates fieldwork and micro-analytical techniques to study subduction zone processes, metamorphism, and geochemical cycling.
Education:
- Ph.D., 2016, University of Minnesota
- B.S., 2010, University of Arizona
Her research interests include Metamorphic Petrology, Geochemistry, Geochronology, and Convergent Margin Tectonics. She investigates fluid-rock interactions, deformation behavior in subducted crust, and the timing of subduction and exhumation processes using techniques such as geothermobarometry, EMPA, EBSD, and LA-ICPMS.
Her recent publications focus on lawsonite geochemistry as a tracer of subduction processes, mineral assemblages in mafic rocks under high-pressure conditions, and geochronological constraints on tectonic evolution. These works span disciplines in petrology, geochemistry, and tectonics, with recurring themes in fluid mobility, metamorphic zoning, and subduction dynamics.
Professional Memberships:
- American Geophysical Union
- European Geosciences Union
- Geochemical Society
- Geological Society of America
- Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Sciences
She teaches courses such as Earth Materials and Resources, Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Solid Earth Geochemistry, and Regional Field Geology. Her research is supported by active field and analytical work, and she contributes to science education through publications in journals like Frontiers for Young Minds.
She is actively engaged in mentoring and academic leadership as Undergraduate Coordinator, and her work contributes significantly to understanding deep Earth processes and element cycling in tectonic settings.
