Pennsylvanian leaf fossils, Cagles Mill Dam, Indiana, 2011
Shatter Cones associated with the Sudbury Impact Structure, Sudbury, Canada, 2013
After completing a BFA and MA in painting, I decided to go back to school for geology in 2008.
You can email me at sarahszalelunata@gmail.com
Ph.D. Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Spring 2019
Advisor: Dr. Molly McCanta
Dissertation: Redox Processes during impact: Calibrating a Cr and V Oxybarometer for planetary melts
Melts from planetary bodies can record the oxidation state of a planet's interior during their formation. By investigating the oxidation state of these melts, information about the origin and evolution of planetary materials can be revealed. I am creating glass standards that represent a range of oxidation states and planetary compositions that will enable the accurate determined of oxygen fugacity in future exploration missions. I am also investigating the effects of impacts on natural glasses on intrinsic oxidation state. This work will demonstrate the use of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) as an in-situ method to determine oxidation state.
Investigated and classified a new lunar meteorite, NWA 10986. This impact-melt breccia represents a complete cross section of the lunar crust, including cryptomare.
M.S. Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 2015
Advisor: Dr. Clive Neal
Thesis: Apollo 14 very high potassium basalt petrogensis: Influence of magma chamber and impact processes.
M.S. Geology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 2013
Advisor: Dr. Andy Barth
Thesis: Breccia of Frog Lakes: Reconstructing Triassic volcanism and subduction initiation in the east-central Sierra Nevada, California
M.A. Painting, University of Alabama, 2005
Thesis: My Backyard
B.F.A. Painting, Birmingham-Southern College, 2003
Fine arts and honors scholarship
Spanish minor
SIMS Workshop, University of California in Los Angeles, 2011
Week long workshop funded by the National Science Foundations
Impact Cratering Short Course and Field School, 2013
6 day short course and field training program on impact cratering in Sudbury, Canada by Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration and Universities Space Research Association-Lunar and Planetary Institute.
University of Tennessee, 2016-present
Instructor of record for Geology 101, summer 2018
TA for mineralogy and petrology
TA for 101 introductory geology lab
University of Notre Dame, 2012-2014
Introduction physical geology lab.
Selected to give lectures over other grad students because of my teaching experience.
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 2010-2012
Solely taught and created all class material and lab exercises for an introductory physical geology lab for 9 classes and 162 students over 4 semesters
Horizon Well Logging/Excellence Logging, Tulsa, OK, May-July 2016
Identified hydrocarbon plays present in Anadarko and Permian Basin geologic formations
Described lithology, sedimentology and stratigraphy of geologic materials during drilling
Performed chemical and physical testing on geologic samples for hydrocarbon shows
Recorded geologic data using Wellsight logging software
Monitored drill rig functions, operations and downhole conditions, gas detection
Consulted with drilling crew, operations geologist, company man, directional driller, drilling fluids engineer and other project personnel
Performed XRF/XRD analyses on cuttings for geochemical interpretation
Wellsite Geologist, Columbine Logging, Midland Texas, January 2015 -March 2016
Mudlogged in the Permian, Delaware, and DJ Basins
Created well logs using MPlot and perform on location analyses of cuttings and gas data in conjunction with drilling mechanics to interpret structural formations and well integrity
Provided real time communication with both on site drilling personal and off location operations geologist to relay lithologic information and well conditions
Promoted to lead after completing 5 wells and provided education and training to new employees
Trained new personnel on Permian basin geology, logging procedures
Research Assistant, University of Notre Dame, 2012-2014
Identified a previously uncharacterized secondary chemical enrichment process in Apollo 14 basalt samples leading to a new theory of formation that had eluded previous researchers
Utilized innovative and creative new techniques on irreplaceable samples using detailed in situ geochemical and petrographic analyses, chemical mapping, and crystal size distributions
Research Assistant and Lab Manager, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, 2010-2012
Determined a new age of subduction initiation for the change from passive margin marine sedimentation of the Antler and Sonoma orogenies to active subduction and volcanism in the Permian
Modeled ancient environment of deposition by relating small scale samples to large scale plate tectonics by integrating stratigraphic, petrographic, and geochemical data along with zircon radionuclide dating, geochemical modeling, and sedimentary interpretations
Managed and guided interns and undergrad students in the timely creation of thin sections and research.
Butterfly Keeper, Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis IN, 2008
Butterfly husbandry, maintaining the exhibit, and interacting and educating the public as to the lives of butterflies.
Roberts, S.E., McCanta, M.C., Taylor, L.A., and Jean, M.M. in review, New lunar meteorite NWA 10986: a mingled impact melt breccia from the highlands with cryptomare; a complete cross section of the lunar crust. Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences.
Roberts, S.E., and Neal., C.R., in review, Origin of lunar Very High Potassium (VHK) basalts: A combination of endogeneous and exogeneous process: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.
Neal, C.R., Donohue, P., Fagan, A.L., O’Sullivan, K., Oshrin, J., and Roberts, S., 2015, Distinguishing between basalts produced by endogenic volcanism and impact processes: A non-destructive method using quantitative petrography of lunar basaltic samples: Geochemica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 148, p. 62-80.
Barth, A.P., Feilen, A.D.G., Yager, S.L., Douglas, S.R., Wooden, J.L., Riggs, N.R., and Walker, J.D., 2012, Petrogenetic connections between ash-flow tuffs and granodioritic to granitic intrusive suite in the Sierra Nevada arc, California: Geosphere 8, 250-264, doi: 10.1130/GES000737.1.
Roberts, S., McCanta, M., and Dyar, D., 2018, Development of a Cr oxybarometer for glasses: An XAS study, Goldschmidt, Boston, Massachusetts (poster)
Wood, R.S., Roberts, S.E., and McCanta, M.C., 2018, Geochemical assessment of cryptotephra from IODP core U1396C, Southeastern Section-Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Knoxville, Tennessee (poster)
Panzik, J.E., Borden, R.M., Roberts, S.E., Muhlbauer, J.G., and Gwizd, S., 2017 Graduate student guided physical geology laboratory design at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington (talk)
Roberts, S.E., McCanta, M.C., Jean, M.M., and Taylor, L.A., 2017, Northwest Africa 10986: A complex lunar highlands breccia. 80th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (poster)
Roberts, S.E., Jean, M.M., Sueilem, M.B., and Taylor, L.A., 2017, Northwest Africa 10986: an impact melt breccia from the lunar highlands. 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (poster)
Roberts, S.E., and Neal, C.R., 2015, VHK Basalt Petrogenesis via Magma Chamber and Impact Processes. 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. (talk)
Roberts, S.E., and Neal, C.R., 2014, New Insights into VHK Petrogenesis through Quantitative Textural Analysis. 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. (poster)
Roberts, S.E., and Neal, C.R., 2014, Taking off the Potassium Coat: A New Hypothesis for VHK Petrogenesis. 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. (talk)
Roberts, S.E., and Neal, C.R., 2013, Petrography is still relevant! Examination of lunar melt rocks to determine formation and evolution. 44th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. (poster)
Yager, S., Barth, A.P., Douglas, S.R., Walker, J.D., Riggs, N.R., and Schweickert, R.A., 2012, Magmatic compositions and alteration of rhyolitic ash-flow tuffs in the eastern Sierran arc of California: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs v. 44, no. 7, p. 244.
Douglas, S.R., Riggs, N.R., Barth, A.P., and Economos, R.C., 2011, The Breccia of Frog Lakes: Record of Mafic Arc Magmatism in the Mesozoic Sierra Nevada, California. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California. (poster)
Douglas, S.R., Riggs, N.R., Barth, A.P., and Walker, J.D., 2010, Breccia of Frog Lakes: Reconstructing Triassic volcanism in the east-central Sierra Nevada, California. Geological Society of America National Meeting, Denver, Colorado. (poster)
Knoxville Gem and Mineral Society June Meeting, 2017
Title: Investigating the Moon with new techniques and new samples
Tennessee Space Grant Consortium Annual Meeting, 2017
Title: Outreach and research: the Planetary Geosciences Institute at the University of Tennessee
President’s Award, Knoxville Gem and Mineral Society, 2018
Planetary Geology Division button design competition, 2018
Meteoritical Society and NASA cosmochemistry travel grant to attend the Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2017
Field Camp, Indiana University Judson Mead Field Station, Montana, 2011
Completed mapping and lithologic descriptions of Precambrian to Jurassic lithologies to determine the environments of deposition, changing tectonic regimes, and post depositional structural deformation
Field Work, Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Forest, California, 2011
Mapping, photography, and lithologic descriptions.
Field Work, Joshua Tree National Park, California, 2010
Mapping, lithologic descriptions, brunton and GPS use.
University of Houston
LA-ICP-MS in-situ analysis
University of Tennessee
Electron Probe Microanalysis, in-situ analysis and chemical mapping
Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis Missouri, 2013
Electron Probe Microanalysis, in-situ analysis and chemical mapping
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 2012-2015
Laser Ablation-ICP-MS, in-situ analysis
Electron Probe Microanalysis, in-situ analysis
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 2009-2012
Petrology lab, preparation of rock samples for geochemical analysis and thin section preparation.
Stanford University, Stanford, California, 2011
Mineral separation and Scanning Electron Microscopy.
University of Tennessee
Geochemical Analysis (EPMA), Planetary Geomorphology, Diagenesis, Remote Sensing, Geophysics Seminar
University of Notre Dame
Environmental Isotopic Geochemistry, LA-ICP-MS Tech, Geochemistry, High Temp Geochemistry, SEM and Vacuum Tech, Actinide Geochemistry
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Geochemistry, Petrology, Mineralogy, Plate Tectonics, Zircon Geochemistry, Historical Geology, Phase Equilibrium, Planetary Remote Sensing, Planetary Geology, Arc GIS, Data Analysis and Statistics
2003, Best of Show, University of Alabama juried art show
2003, Purchase award and 2 merit awards, Birmingham-Southern College juried art show
2002, Best of Show and merit award, Birmingham-Southern College juried art show
1999, Spencer Bacchus Congressional Art Competition, honorable mention
2008, Magic City Art Connection, Birmingham, AL
2005, “My Back Yard” M.A. thesis show University of Alabama
2005, Alabama Wildlife Federation “Flora and Fauna” juried show
2005, Moxie “June Bugs”, Birmingham, AL
2004, group show “5 from 4” Birmingham Art Association
2003-2004, work exhibited at Birmingham-Southern College Environmental Center
2003, 2004, University of Alabama juried show
2003, Birmingham Southern B.F.A. show
2003, solo show at University of Alabama
2001, 2002, 2003, Birmingham-Southern College juried show