Richard Gaschnig

Dr. Richard Gaschnig is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML). He holds an affiliation with the Kennedy College of Sciences and specializes in geochemistry, geochronology, and igneous petrology. His research focuses on using radiogenic and stable isotopes, along with trace elements, to study continental crust formation and evolution through igneous and sedimentary processes.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Geology, Washington State University (2010)
• M.S. in Geology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2005)
• B.S. in Geology, University of Delaware (2003)

Research interests include provenance analysis of sedimentary rocks, crustal evolution via glacial diamictites, and subduction zone metamorphism. He employs advanced analytical techniques such as laser-ablation ICP-MS and Q-ICP-MS in his laboratory facilities at UML. Recent work highlights include studies on Mesoproterozoic paleogeography, molybdenum isotope behavior in subduction zones, and vanadium isotope evidence for crustal evolution.

Grants and collaborations include NSF-funded projects on Mesoproterozoic supercontinent configuration and subduction zone metamorphism. His lab equipment supports trace element and isotope analysis of zircon, monazite, and other minerals.

Labs/Teams: Gaschnig oversees a research group equipped with state-of-the-art geochemical instrumentation, contributing to interdisciplinary studies of continental crust dynamics and tectonic processes.