معرفی
Sara Mana serves as Chairperson of the Department of Geological Sciences at Salem State University, where she teaches courses spanning Dynamic Earth (GLS 100), Volcanology (GLS 346), Field Geology II (GLS 485), and specialized topics like Geology in the Movies (GLS 108) and Forensic Microscopy (GLS 256). Her research integrates field geology with advanced analytical techniques to investigate active tectonic systems.
Dr. Mana's research focuses on active tectonics and quantitative analysis in rift environments, particularly the East African Rift. She employs radiogenic isotope geochemistry, incompatible trace element analysis, and high-precision 40Ar/39Ar geochronology to study magma evolution, basin development, and deformation processes. Her work connects climate-tectonics interactions with ecosystem evolution, utilizing gas geochemistry and remote sensing for regional-scale analysis.
Recent publications reveal persistent focus on East African Rift dynamics, with recurring themes of tephrochronology, rift-related magmatism, and paleoanthropological site correlation. Collaborative work spans Costa Rican volcanism, Appalachian metamorphism, and nuclear forensics, demonstrating interdisciplinary reach across geophysics, archaeology, and critical zone science.
Dr. Mana has secured significant National Science Foundation funding:
- PI on $80,157 NSF award (2018-2021, extended to 2023 with $25,712 supplement) for the East African Rift Tephra Database project
- PI on $12,885 NSF sub-award for Miocene ecosystem research in Kenya
- External collaborator on $2,671,455 NSF Frontier Research project examining climate-tectonics interactions in the East African Rift
