This is not your Shakespeare type of “Romeo”. Enjoying some Navy STEM things this weekend ⚓️
• Researching sediments from the Deep Sea to Mars • Ph.D. in tiny rocks, oceans, + squiggly lines • Explorer of extreme environments using robot friends Prev 🐥: @ MarsRoverMapper
2,786 followers 2,395 following 789 posts
view profile on Bluesky
This is not your Shakespeare type of “Romeo”. Enjoying some Navy STEM things this weekend ⚓️
🌊With the Fall semester upon us, it's time to start thinking about recruiting/applying to grad school for 2026. If you are a marine scientist looking for a graduate student, I've created a form where you can add your name and other info: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... Please share widely! (1/2)
< whispers > I get to go visit some of the U.S. Navy’s AUVs tomorrow 😬
👋 Hey there, Robot Fren!
They’re everywhere. I can’t believe the spatial density across this area 😑
In case you’ve never seen a data center, or their construction, here you go. This is Loudoun County, VA 🇺🇸. There are kilometers of these buildings. In the second photo, you can see several others- and so many more being built across northern VA. Q: How much energy do they consume? A: *YES.* All.
IT IS HAPPENING!!! I’ve been spent the past few years cultivating native plants around my property. The ecosystem responded 🥹 I’m up to: deer, foxes, increased bees/ butterflies/ insects, frogs, turtles, bats, rabbits, & hummingbirds/ increased songbirds (& raptors/owls). No black bears- yet.
Oly shoes 🤝 meet Rogue. 🏋🏻♀️ #ScientistsWhoLift
Behold, the #MinCup35 bracket! Use it to follow along, plan campaigns to support your favs, or make predictions on how voting will shake out. We start at the top left on September 1st, then alternate left and right as we work our way down.
I believe it was to honor the Minnesota tragedy. Other states are honoring the anniversary of Katrina.
I have seen this question recently, too. 😅
I miss teaching w/ food. •Mineral cleavage? Kit Kats. •Rugosa coral? Bugle chips. •Asthenosphere and lithosphere? Marshmallows w/ magic shell chocolate topping
I was so excited, I didn’t even spell “hematite” correctly. Hahahaha! I feel the making of a Magentite & Hematite campaign on the horizon… time to get sketching!
HEMATITIE!!! Let's GOOO Fe-oxides 🖤
Also important to note: No HCl either. They don't enjoy that 😅
Reverting my current résumé structure back to a 2-pg academic CV has been... a solid challenge. SOLID. Challenge. I've been out of academia too long 😅
Full-time, 9-month, Tenure-track Assistant Professor in Paleoclimatology position at the University of Hawaii. www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=4...
Hahaha I just commented on your latest post before seeing this one 🤣
The soundtrack (on cassette) was EVERYTHING!!!! “Batdance”… by Prince… come on 🦇
Same! Also would make a great band name. 🤣
Nice!!! Congratulations on the new pub. Looking forward to catching up on Mars happenings.
🌊🧪On our Aleutians expedition, a 0300 onboard message got everyone out of their racks. We unintentionally mapped a MASSIVE landslide along a ridge line. Sent the initial data to USGS onshore SMEs- They were EXCITED. So, we backtracked a few kms to collect a suite of data. Here’s the product:
🌊 --> 🪨 I'll translate these into "Geologist": (clockwise from top left) - Pumpkin-spice squishy star (extrusive igneous) - Armored pinchy hands (metamorphic) - Tiny windsocks (extrusive igneous) - Squishy w/ curls (*not calcite or halite; do NOT lick)
This is very niche ASMR. 😆
I definitely want to know if angularity (thus empty space) impacts heat storage. I bet mineralogy has a bug impact too… maybe start with basalt sands (or olivine sands!!!) vs quartz sands… then add fe-oxide sands. 👀
Can I please volunteer as tribute to be part of this impromptu particle analysis experiment? I’m onboard! 😁
During my last move, I went from ~2.5Myr coastal plain sediments to >600Myr metaseds. Great job on these map products, USGS 💚
Aww! Hello, my lil Space Frens 👋
A geo oceanographer discovers #InvertFest… I had a lovely conversation with this sleek predator yesterday.
You wouldn’t guess it from this picture, but we had spectacular laughs + dance parties (not pictured- Evan) during our R/V Atlantis CTD ops 🤣 Yes, there’s plenty of videos… somewhere. Absolute pleasure sailing with this team! #AT50-38
🚨 JOB ALERT (🧪):
HEYO!!! When are you scheduled to present? I have some travel coming up, but if I'm in VA, I'll drive down. So exciting! There's been some departmental retirements + new additions. (Honestly, I'd love to be back in grad school given ... everything). Borjo Dayz!
🚨 POSTED: 2025 Draft USGS List of Critical Minerals Several new elements were added; + removed. 👉 These elements will directly guide U.S. agency’s actions (land + offshore) over the next ~3yrs, so please review + comment, as applicable. Public comment ends 9/25/2025 (instructions in FR link) 🧪🌊
Definitely a team effort! It would just be “unconsolidated idea grains” floating around my mind without your knowledgeable input and field tests.🌟
^ P.S.- @ocnogrphr.bsky.social, I see Dr. Schmidt as a collab on your title screen. Please tell Matthew I say hello!
Yay Ryan!!! Keep up the excellent work @ocnogrphr.bsky.social 👏👏👏
Full 2025 USGS Critical Mineral list will be posted in the U.S. federal registrar tomorrow (8/26/2025) with a 30-day public comment period:
USGS released the 2025 Critical Minerals List draft (new elements added!):
This is my favorite thread ever!!! 🤜🤛
As a fellow IRD person, I was also surprised to learn of “KRD” (not sure if that term is coined yet, but @thomasronge.bsky.social and I have adopted it). Nothing like finding a random cobble on an Aleutian seafloor of fines to ask the crazy Q: “Was this… kelp!?!” Excellent 🧵, Thomas! ⬇️
Last week- while attending a workshop at USGS HQ- I re-homed several publications set for disposal. Aside from the relevant content, this particular book was printed 101 years ago 🤩 Reprints were $1.75.
I’ll check on this tomorrow, too.
Upcoming Event: In-person & live-stream. 📍Smithsonian Air & Space (downtown DC)
The thought crossed my mind 😅
Welcome to the Veteran life 🇺🇸 Thank you for your service!
Fall is tapping on the door. < heart sighs 🥰 > Also discovered a 7-mile stretch of my local river for tubing!
We have some Ordovician stromats in Monterey, Virginia, too. Tad bit younger than yours, but shout out to Cyanobacteria!
Well, I can finally widely share some exciting news. On Sep 22, NASA will announce the 2025 Astronaut Candidates. While I'm not in that group, I was invited to interview for the 2025 class. I can't discuss details of the process, but I can share my general experience. Please enjoy! 🌊🧪🪨🚀
🚨Looking for a Geoscience Perspective on Climate Change? Exp403 co-chief Kristen St. John and former JRFB chair Larry Krissek just published this OPEN ACCESS book on it! Download it for free below! link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
I was just at USGS HQ this week and it was noticeably quiet (+ the parking lot had plenty of spaces 😔).
Can’t wait to see who was selected for NASA’s 2025 ASCAN class! (Let’s gooooo Group 1 🚀)
Pretty cool to use this proxy, too. Ships are like, naaaaah. 14.5m seas 😳 No thanks.
Oooooof! OBX is already seeing the energy. High risk for widespread coastal erosion over the next ~24 hours. #HurricaneErin
🌟Upcoming Webinar: Ecology and ecosystem services of inactive hydrothermal vent deposits Dr. Jason Sylvan (Texas A&M University) and Dr. Amanda Achberger (Louisiana State University) 🧪🌊🪨
Two fully NSF- funded Ph.D. positions in hydroinformatics at the Clemson University. Apply by 15 October. See also: csdms.colorado.edu/wiki/Jobs
Hahahaha I just quoted with the same thing! All 10s from my judges!
< Immediately holds up a score of 10 > 👏👏👏
Rips are going to be MAD along the mid-Atlantic coast. Definitely going to be dangerous. I’ll be watching buoy data + beach cams closely 👁️_👁️ That possible “boop-fly-by” to Hatteras + OBX is too close for comfort.
You can track Hurricane #Erin in real-time here: zoom.earth/storms/erin-...
Looks like a Salvador Dali sammich. 😆 🫠🥪
😆😆😆 #AngryBurrito 🦖
I need to know more about your SOC team. Did it have a name? (🤞) Land, Air, or Sea-based? What types of “weapons” does a Dino-fighting-SOC-Team utilize? I’m invested now! 😅
Only two weeks to go until Spetember. Best time of the year on social media since #MinCup25 is about to start! Have ideas for minerals to compete in #MinCup2025? Nominate them now! 👉 www.mineralcup.org/nominations Want to be part of this year’s organizing team? 👉 www.mineralcup.org/volunteer
Daaaang. Hurricane Erin = 🐈🐈⬛🐈🐈⬛🙀 8.6m seas! #Cat5
My favs!!!!
Even the carpet doesn’t want to be there.
I mean 🤩
Definitely a bucket list item. Very bittersweet that it happened during such challenging time. I’m grateful for the opportunity! 🫧
A little something to brighten everyone’s Fri-yay. View through an HOV Alvin porthole of the Alvin swimmers attaching a line to the sub for recovery. #AT50-38 Aleutians, AK June 2025 🌊🧪 (citation in ALT Txt)
The California Geological Survey is hiring a Branch Chief to oversee 4 key programs in the organization: 🔹Forest and Watershed Geology 🔹Mineral Resources 🔹Geologic and Landslide Mapping and 🔹Burned Watershed Geohazards Deadline to apply is 8/28. calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/...
We are hiring! Join us as an Assistant Professor of Physical Climate Science. Apply by Sep. 29th here: aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05084 Help us spread the word!
Dear Anatarctic ice cores, Thank you for your beautiful bubbles + data. Xoxo, My tricky sediment core δ¹⁸O age model.
The sand ripples, extra long shadows, new satellites… so good!
Randomly thinking about the “For All Mankind” S4 finale, final sequence (originally aired 1/2024) As a Martian, the visuals are so gorgeous!!! (+ I ❤️ M83)
Mendenhall River almost at the forecasted flood peak from glacial lake outburst flood at Suicide Basin #Juneau #GLOF 🧪⚒️ water.noaa.gov/gauges/mnda2
Mendenhall River, AK 🇺🇸 nearing peak flood stage!
I am community sourcing a list of people who are actively in search of MS/PhD students in planetary science/astrobiology/exoplanets for Fall 2026. If you are such a person, please fill out the following google form: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Juneau flood watch: Officials said Tuesday flooding has begun, and the river is expected to rise to about 12 ft late tonight, and above 14 ft by Weds morning. EVACUATION IS ADVISED. And locals should not go look at the river! KTOO is live-streaming, you can watch here: www.ktoo.org/glacial-outb...
Yay Healy!!! ❤️ #HOTRAX2005
I was tracking 3, but 5!?!? Most of these are near/ in the U.S.’s newly-expanded EEZ around Alaska [via the Inflation Reduction Act]. Several countries do not recognize these new boundaries. So, here we are.
My favorite is when the vibrations become harmonic and the sediment starts moving backwards…. 😆 Ah yes- I’m part of this niche, too. Good ol Frantz.
Thank you!
⬆️ Additional info from previous post. (From NASEM’s notification) Looking for ~12-14 experts: Benthic bio/ eco Bio oceanography Marine geo Oceanography/ hydro Critical minerals Marine Tech Ocean policy Marine cultural anthro Resource economics 🌊🪨🧪
🌊🪨🧪Please share and apply! Seeking experts to participate in the NASEM Seabed Critical Mineral Resources Committee (co-sponsored by my team!) A Research Strategy for Seabed Critical Mineral Resources 🔔 Call closes Aug 25, 2025 More details below:
Has there also been widespread structural damage with these floods? I see a lot of roads closed on Google maps. I’m still trying to get in touch with family and friends across the area.
As we wrap up final revisions on a new Arctic manuscript, I started thinking about the places I’d visit to either write or let my mind relax when I was “stuck”. Coffee shops were always solid choices, but nature was- by far- most effective. Here are some of my favorite spots:
👀 < screams in rover geology >
Congrats!!! I may be up there around October for workshop. I’m excited to finally visit.
Ideas for minerals to compete in #MinCup2025? Nominate them now! www.mineralcup.org/nominations Want to be part of this year’s organizing team? We love volunteers! www.mineralcup.org/volunteer
Gorgeous shot! This would fit in perfectly with some very niche corner of Reddit = /AccidentalRenaissanceClimate
*UGH Auto-correct. Why!? Alt text is correct. Post should say “pileated” not “pleated”. Although a pleated woodpecker would be funny. Like a lampshade. Or maybe when they get mad, they could flair their tails to resemble a pleated fan 🪭 They do sound like .50 cal rifles in my backyard. So…
Yesterday’s #VMFA museum trip. I stared at this little marble fisherman statue way too long. This is a fishing net- carved out of marble. I mean, the detail is unreal. There’s even sand carved in the base. Also stared at Audubon pleated woodpeckers for a solid 15 mins, but that’s on par for me.
Omg I love those little woodcocks!!!! But yes, the dock rock is real 😆 This time it took me about 10 days for my vestibular to recover after 5 weeks.
Recovery time!!! Small boats and swimmers hooking up the recovery cables. The swimmer jump is always a highlight! #Crew-10 Much colder water this time 🥶
Splashdown! Welcome back to 🌎 #Crew-10! Alright, those swells don’t look too big on TV, but I promise they’re feeling them! Bobbing at the ocean surface on the HOV Alvin- in smooth seas- felt like 3m seas. And they’re in 1-2m seas… getting used to gravity again. Good ol’ Pacific! 🌊
MARINE LAYER WHYYYYY!?!?! #Crew-10
Seas look pretty good for splashdown! #Crew-10 Crosshairs are not showing splashdown site- just a representative wave height for the general area.
#Crew-10 splashdown today, Aug 9, 2025! Coverage starts at 10:15am ET. 📍This is a planned Pacific splashdown.
Thank you for your service, USN Captain Lovell. A life well-lived! 🤍
As a sedimentologist, the video is so satisfying. GIMME THOSE SEDIMENTS! I like to frame it as an amusement ride. Benthics dudes get an epic fluid dynamic launch- and you *know* they’re gong to brag about it w/ their buddies. 🐚: “Guys, you’re NEVER going to believe what happened today…!!!”