Director, Summer Science Research Program for Undergraduates, Bryn Mawr, PA, 2009-present
Lecturer, Department of Geology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, 2008-present
MIT-WHOI Joint Program, Cambridge and Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 2003-2009
Ph.D. in Geology and Geophysics (Igneous geochemistry), 2009; Advisors: K.W.W. Sims, F.A. Frey
Dissertation: Basalt Petrogenesis Beneath Slow- and Ultraslow-Spreading Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridges
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2001-2003
M.S. in Earth and Planetary Sciences (Volcanology), 2003; Advisor: T.P. Fischer
Thesis: Volatile recycling in the Central American Subduction zone: Insights from Nicaraguan gas chemistry and nitrogen isotope systematics
Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience, IGPP/LANL, Field course in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2001
Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, 1997-2001
B.A. in Geology with highest honors, minor in Archaeology, 2001, Magna cum laude
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellow, 2001-2005
Mineralogical Society of America Undergraduate Award, 2001
Phi Beta Kappa, 2001
Instructor: Mineralogy and Crystal Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, Fall 2010
Developed and taught new mineralogy course in keeping with inquiry-based pedagogical philosophy; designed and led new field trip in concert with class research project; set up collaboration with University of Florida microprobe facility for classroom remote probe use.
Instructor: Living With Volcanoes, Bryn Mawr College, Fall 2010
Developed and taught new class for freshmen non-majors focusing on society and volcanoes.
Lab Coordinator: Earth History, Bryn Mawr College, Spring 2010
Prepared lessons and taught all lab sections for Geology 102; supervised Teaching Assistants for lab sections; organized overnight class field trip.
Volunteer: Expanding Your Horizons Event, Swarthmore College, Spring 2010
Developed and gave science demonstration and lesson for local middle school girls.
Instructor: High-Temperature Geochemistry, Bryn Mawr College, Fall 2010
Developed and taught new upper-level geology major class on the geochemistry of igneous systems, including petrologic lab exercises, geochemical data analysis, and a local class field trip.
Lab Coordinator: Earth Systems and the Environment Labs, Bryn Mawr College, Spring 2009, 2010
Prepared lessons and taught all lab sections for Geology 103; supervised Teaching Assistants for lab sections; organized and helped run overnight class field trip.
Instructor: Senior Thesis Seminar, Bryn Mawr College, Spring 2009
Developed new seminar to mentor and assist students with their senior capstone projects, and to teach scientific writing to undergraduates.
Lab Coordinator: Physical Geology Labs, Bryn Mawr College, Fall 2008, 2009
Prepared lessons and taught all lab sections for Geology 101; supervised Teaching Assistants for grading and help during lab sections; prepared lab and class project assignments and grading rubrics.; organized and helped run class field trip to Valley Forge National Monument.; taught guest lectures for lecture part of the class.
Teaching Volunteer: Falmouth Public Schools, Falmouth, MA, 2008
Worked with volunteers and local public school teachers to coordinate class visits; taught ocean science to elementary school classes using NSF-COSEE lesson materials.
Teaching Assistant: Introduction to Marine Geology and Geophysics, WHOI, Woods Hole, MA, 2007
Helped faculty prepare and proofread class materials; designed and implemented website for class; led recitations for students outside of class lectures.
Science Mentor: Falmouth Public Schools, Falmouth, MA, 2007
Participated in scientist outreach programs in local schools; coached middle school students on projects for a science fair.
Teaching Assistant: Mineralogy and Petrology, Smith College, Northampton, MA, 2000-2001
Assisted J. Brady with the running of two Mineralogy and Petrology labs per week; held office hours, helped tutor students in class material.
Substitute Teacher: East Brunswick Public Schools, East Brunswick, NJ, 2000-2001
Served as a substitute teacher in the public school system.
America Reads! Tutor: Northampton Public Schools, Northampton, MA, 1998
Led group activities for first through third grade children with reading difficulties; worked one-on-one with individual children to assist with reading.
General Earth Science and Geology, Mineralogy, Petrology, Volcanology, High-Temperature Geochemistry and Thermodynamics, Radiogenic Isotope Geochemistry.
Teaching young people how to learn effectively. Assisting girls and young women in particular in pursuing their interests. Helping all students become excited about science, geoscience, and research.
Melt modeling research project: Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, 2009-present
Development and analysis of new, sophisticated melting models that consider various complexities of the melt process, including variations in melt productivity and trace element partitioning behavior during melting.
Jan Mayen research project: Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, 2008-present
Analyzed 238U-234U-230Th-226Ra and 235U-231Pa in several samples from the Eggvin Bank segment of the Kolbeinsey Ridge as pilot study for further geochemical and mapping work; arranged to secure a sample suite from Jan Mayen Island, and undertake a new mapping and sampling project for the Eggvin Bank to better characterize the region and answer important questions about the Jan Mayen mantle source and melting dynamics (NSF-OCE funding pending).
Mid-ocean ridge basalt alteration project: Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, 2009
Conducted electron probe microanalysis of young Kolbeinsey Ridge basaltic glasses to determine major element, F, and Cl abundances and characterize the extent of chemical alteration by seawater on the rocks. Samples were determined to have variably experienced multiple stages of chemical alteration, as recorded by their Cl abundances and Cl/K ratios.
Doctoral Research: Geology & Geophysics, Woods Hole Ocean. Inst.; Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Dept., Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, 2003-2009; Advisors: K.W.W. Sims, F.A. Frey
Dissertation: Basalt Petrogenesis Beneath Slow- and Ultraslow-Spreading Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridges
Conducted comprehensive study of U-series isotopes (238U-234U-230Th-226Ra-210Pb and 235U-231Pa) and radiogenic isotopes (Hf, Nd, Pb, Sr) in Arctic mid-ocean ridge basalts, measuring more than 40 samples in the laboratory and using various mass spectrometric techniques. Equipped new lab facility for U-series analysis. Compared analytical results to a series of complex time-dependent melting models, including development of models that consider variable partition coefficients and melt productivity during melting (Elkins et al., submitted; in prep.). Also conducted a series of piston-cylinder experiments on partitioning of U, Th, and other trace elements during melting of garnet pyroxenite at 2.5 GPa to examine role of source lithology on U-Th partitioning (Elkins et al., 2008).
Masters Research: Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of New Mexico, 2001-2003; Advisor: Tobias P. Fischer
Thesis: Volatile recycling in the Central American Subduction zone: Insights from Nicaraguan gas chemistry and nitrogen isotope systematics
Examined chemistry and N isotopes of volcanic and geothermal gases from the Nicaraguan volcanic front, and used those data to fingerprint sources contributing N2, He, and Ar to the volcanic emissions along the front, finding large contributions from a high-δ15N, high N2/He source (likely subducted sediment) and lesser inputs from a low-δ15N, lower N2/He source (mantle wedge; Elkins et al., 2006).
Graduate Intern, EES-11, Los Alamos National Laboratory, 2002; Mentor: W. Scott Baldridge
Participated in a research project to develop and build a real-time, broad-sensitivity radon detector for use in geologic monitoring. Helped conduct tests during production of the detector.
Undergraduate Senior Thesis Research: Geology Dept., Smith College, 2000-2001; Advisor: J. Brady
Thesis: Geochemistry of komatiite rocks, Archean Woodburn Lake Group, Pipedream Lake area, Churchill Province, Canada
Combined Re-Os isotope measurements from CIW internship with new major and trace element whole rock data and electron microscope analysis for suite of Canadian komatiites. Evaluate degree of element mobility during post-depositional alteration. Concluded that least altered (non-spinifex) samples produced Re-Os isochron that matched 2.7 Ga U-Pb zircon age for intercalating geologic units.
Research Intern, Dept. of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Inst. of Washington, 2000; Mentor: S. Shirey
Measured Re-Os isotope systematics in komatiite rocks from the Woodburn Lake Group in Canada (see above for summary of results). Measured lowest 187Os/188Os ratio in any igneous sample (0.1098), establishing extremely-well-characterized slightly subchondritic initial ratio for 2.7 Ga model age. Learned clean lab, rock dissolution, spiking, and Re-Os isotope extraction techniques and the basics of TIMS analysis.
Research Intern, Geomicrobiology Group, Princeton University, 1999; Mentor: T.C. Onstatt
Assisted the Geomicrobiology Group at Princeton during early development of their bioremediation program. Analyzed grain size, pore volume, and phases present in sediment core sections using SEM and EDS. Ran programs and input data for carbon-fluorescing bacteria concentrations in cores. Performed night shifts during field tracer test for Virginia test site.
Igneous geochemistry, mantle chemical structure and evolution, radiogenic and uranium-series isotopes, volcanology and volcanic hazards.
American Geophysical Union, Mineralogical Society of America, Geochemical Society, Geological Society of America, Association for Women Geoscientists, Association for Geoscience Teachers, Sigma Xi, Phi Beta Kappa
In print:
Elkins, L.J., Gaetani, G.A., Sims., K.W.W., 2008, Partitioning of U and Th during garnet pyroxenite partial melting: Constraints on the source of alkaline ocean island basalts, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 265, 270-286.
Elkins, L.J., Fischer, T.P., Hilton, D.R., Sharp, Z.D., McKnight, S., Walker, J., 2006. Tracing nitrogen in volcanic and geothermal volatiles from the Nicaraguan volcanic front, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 70, 5215-5235.
In progress:
Elkins, L.J., Sims, K.W.W., Prytulak, J., Mattielli, N., Elliott, T., Blichert-Toft, J., Blusztajn, J., N. Dunbar, Devey, C., Mertz, D., Schilling, J.-G., submitted, Melt generation beneath the slow spreading Kolbeinsey Ridgefrom 238U, 230Th, and 231Pa excesses, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta.
Elkins, L.J. and Sims, K.W.W., in prep., The role of changing melt productivity in the generation of mid- ocean ridge basalts, for submission to Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.
Elkins, L.J., Sims, K.W.W., Prytulak, J., Blichert-Toft, J., Blusztajn, J., Fretzdorff, S., Reagan, M., Haase, K., Elliott, T., Humphris, S., Schilling, J.-G., in prep., Generation of 226Ra, 238U, and 230Th excesses in Arctic mid-ocean ridge basalts from the Kolbeinsey, Mohns, Knipovich, and Gakkel Ridges, for submission to Jour. Pet.
Elkins, L.J*., Sims, K.W.W., Dunbar, N., 2009, Seawater alteration of Arctic mid-ocean ridge basalts, EOS Trans. AGU, Fall Meeting Suppl., V33D-2063.
Elkins, L.J., Sims, K.W.W.*, Prytulak, J., Blichert-Toft, J., Blusztajn, J., Fretzdorff, S., Haase, K., Elliott, T., Humphris, S., Schilling, J.-G., 2009, Generation of 231Pa, 226Ra, 238U, and 230Th excesses in Arctic mid-ocean ridge basalts from the Kolbeinsey, Mohns, Knipovich, and Gakkel Ridges, Plenary Lecture, 16th International Symposium on Polar Sciences, Incheon Korea.
Elkins, L.J.*, Sims, K.W.W., Prytulak, J., Mattielli, N., Elliott, T., Blichert-Toft, J., Blusztajn, J., Devey, C., Mertz, D., Kelement, P., Murrell, M., Schilling, J.-G., 2009, (234U/238U) and (230Th/238U) disequilibria in fresh and altered Kolbeinsey Ridge basalts, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta Goldschmidt Suppl., A325.
Elkins, L.J., Sims, K.W.W.*, Prytulak, J., Mattielli, N., Elliott, T., Blichert-Toft, J., Devey, C., Fretzdorff, S., Mertz, D., Kelement, P., Murrell, M. Schilling, J.-G., Humphris, S., 2008, Insights into melting processes on slow-spreading ridges north of Iceland from U, Th, Ra, and Pa isotopes, IAVCEI 2008 General Assembly, 1c/1e P05.
Elkins, L.J.*, Sims, K.W.W., Prytulak, J., Mattielli, N., Elliott, T., Kelemen, P., Mertz, D., Devey, C., Blichert-Toft, J., Schilling, J.-G., 2007, Constraints on Melting Beneath the Slow-Spreading Kolbeinsey Ridge from 238U, 230Th, and 231Pa Excesses, EOS Trans. AGU, Fall Meeting Suppl., V21B-0607.
Elkins, L.J.*, Gaetani, G.A., Sims, K.W.W., 2006, Mineral/melt partitioning of U and Th during partial melting of garnet pyroxenite, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta Goldschmidt Suppl., 70, (18) 159.
Elkins, L.J.*, Fischer, T.P., Hilton, D.R., Shaw, A.M., McKnight, S., Strauch, W., Sharp, Z., 2002. Sediment Underplating Beneath Central America: Insights From N-He, d15N Systematics of Volatile Discharges in Nicaragua, EOS Trans. AGU, Fall Meeting Suppl., V21B-1209.
Jenner, G.A.*, S.B. Shirey, D. Hyde, L.J. Elkins, B.A. Kjarsgaard, and J. Kerswill, 2002, Late Archean komatiites and BIFs, Woodburn Lake Group, Churchill Province, Nunavut, Geochim. Cosmichim. Acta 66(15A), A365.
• NSF-OCE research proposal for further study of the geochemistry and morphology of the Jan Mayen region (pending).
• Faculty Research Grant from Bryn Mawr College ($4,500) for a pilot study of chemical alteration processes in mid-ocean ridge basalts.
• Assisted K. Sims with funding proposal and additional funding requests to NSF for dissertation research on Kolbeinsey Ridge. Responsible for annual reports and final report for this grant.
• Funding to attend the American Geophysical Union fall conference (2007) from two funding sources (MIT travel assistance fund, WHOI Academic Programs Office fund).
• Petitioned for and negotiated funding from the WHOI Academic Programs Office to attend the Goldschmidt geochemical conference (2006) despite the sudden discontinuation of an expected fund (MIT travel assistance fund) at a critical time.
• Requested and arranged funds to participate in a research expedition and cruise to the Tjörnes Fracture Zone on the RS Poseidon (C. Devey, chief scientist) in August, 2005.