What do you do?
I study metamorphic rocks and the processes by which they change from their original form. These processes may change the mineralogy, the chemistry, or the structure of a rock.

Why should the general public be interested in what you do?
There has been a recent flurry of concern about the presence of amphibole asbestos in highly developed areas of El Dorado county. Amphibole asbestos forms by metamorphic processes that alter serpentinites, but beyond that very little is known about how this particularly hazardous type of asbestos forms. One of our research goals here is to identify additional areas where amphibole asbestos may occur and to determine what combination of geological factors led to its formation.

Why does it interest you?
Perhaps the most fascinating part of metamorphic petrology is using the information from metamorphic rocks to unravel the history of burial, uplift and erosion by which major mountain ranges are formed.

What major advances/discoveries have occurred in your research field over the last 10 years?
One of the most exciting discoveries in recent years has been the recognition of rocks that formed at the surface of the earth and that subsequently were buried (by subduction) to depths at which diamond and the type of silica known as coesite can form. The depths to which the surfacial rocks have been pushed exceeds 100 km (62 miles) but the detailed mechanisms by which they are buried or later exhumed have been the subjects of intense study.