Laura Waters

My research on the origin and evolution of continental crust (silica-rich, buoyant sections of Earth’s crust) incorporates both field and experimental work, with several field sites in the western US (CA, OR, NV). I currently have an active undergraduate research group examining compositions, the mineral phases, and pre-eruptive conditions (i.e., temperature, pressure, and dissolved volatile contents) of volcanics that erupted from South Sister Volcano, OR and volcanics that erupted in Sonoma & Napa Counties. I integrate research topics into course material so that students have an opportunity to apply course concepts to real datasets. Moreover, I teach igneous and metamorphic petrology with context given to tectonic setting so that students can exit upper level courses with a profound understanding of how magmatism and tectonics combine to produce the array of volcanics erupting on Earth today.