Lindsey Hernandez is a Ph.D. student advised by Dr. Michael Barton. Here she describes how the Friends of Orton Hall furthered her academic career.
In the summer of 2019, I traveled to Guatemala to collect ash and lava samples from two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Volcán de Fuego and Volcán de Pacaya. These samples will be used to calculate the pressures of partial crystallization (PPCs) for these volcanoes, which will give us insight into the depths of magma chambers and the overall structure of the magma ‘plumbing systems’ beneath Fuego and Pacaya. This research is not only important for volcanic hazard mitigation, but it will also provide the first comparative investigation of PPCs from mid-ocean ridges and arc-volcanoes using an internally consistent method, which will be a useful contribution to the field of petrology. Friends of Orton Hall generously supported this research through funding the cost of thin section preparation and lab analyses of the samples. The support of FOH has made collecting data for this project possible, and I am grateful for their contribution to my research.
The School of Earth Sciences relies on the generous support of our alumni and friends to provide programs, scholarships and facilities that enrich the experience of our students, provide life-changing opportunities, and enable world-changing discoveries. The Friends of Orton Hall gifts are distributed to students in support of degree research work. If you are interested in giving to support the Friends of Orton Hall or other funds, please visit our giving page.