Interested in research?
Below is a list of the current research opportunities in the Arnold Geochemistry Lab at West Chester University
Climate change in the tropics
I currently have funding to investigate the impacts of glacial-interglacial cycles on tropical and subtropical temperature and precipitation. To do this, we are analyzing stable isotopic signatures of lipid biomarkers and ratios of bacterial/archaeal membrane lipids. With this project you will learn organic geochemical extraction techniques as well as the fundamentals of isotopic analyses.
Microplastics in the wastersheds of Chester County
Our lab is in the course of sampling streams within the watersheds of Chester County to determine the flux of microplastics to the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. This project involves regular field work and data collection throughout the academic year. You will also learn how to isolate microplastic particles from water and sediment samples as well as the operating principles of a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.
Pennsylvania lake-watch program
We are currently developing a program to monitor the health of Pennsylvania lakes and reservoirs. We are using a combination of electronic monitoring equipment and lake sediment core geochemistry to measure and reconstruct changes in water quality across lacustrine systems in Pennsylvania. If you are interested in environmental geochemistry, this project will teach you basic water quality measurement techniques and how to reconstruct the history of environmental change through the lens of lake sediments.
Climate Change and Society
I will soon begin a research project on environmental change and the Cahokia settlement (a pre-Colombian Native American city near St. Louis, Missouri). Cahokia reached its apex of influence in the 11th and 12th centuries, however, by the middle of the 13th century, the site was abandoned. I am interested in investigating the connect between climate change events and the abandonment of Cahokia through the analysis of organic and inorganic proxies extracted from lake sediment cores. For this project, I am looking for a dedicate graduate student who is willing to take on this research as a thesis.