Rachel Coyte

Dr. Rachel Coyte is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech). Her research focuses on environmental geochemistry with an emphasis on hydrogeochemical processes, trace element behavior in natural systems, and the interplay between geology and human health. She holds a PhD in Earth and Ocean Sciences from Duke University (2021) and a BA in East Asian Studies from Oberlin College (2013).

Key research interests include:

• Hydrogeochemistry of redox-sensitive trace elements
• Drivers of drinking water quality in arid environments
• Methane hydrates' role in the carbon cycle
• Environmental fate of energy by-products
• Trace element geochemistry in pregnancy and lactation
• Isotopic tracers for environmental contamination studies

Recent work explores noble gas tracers in Gulf of Mexico methane hydrates, lithium enrichment mechanisms in Appalachian Basin brines, and placental metal impacts on fetal health in urban populations. Her field studies include the Terrebonne Basin (Gulf of Mexico) and New Mexico's Permian Basin. Dr. Coyte's lab website is under development at rcoyte.github.io (note: currently inaccessible).

Her publications emphasize interdisciplinary approaches linking geochemical processes to environmental and public health challenges, with a focus on energy resource impacts, contaminated aquifers, and trace element exposure pathways.