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SUNY Potsdam Faculty and Students Publish Paper on Geology Field Research

Guadalupe Mountains Trip by SUNY Potsdam Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Leads to Published Research

Potsdam, NY (11/01/2024) — A group of faculty and students from SUNY Potsdam's Department of Earth and Environmental Science traveled to New Mexico and Texas over spring break 2023 to conduct field research. Now, the results have been published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology -- an esteemed international journal for the geosciences.

The paper, co-authored by faculty members Dr. Page Quinton and Dr. Michael Rygel, along with current students Ty Paddock and Chelsea Wright, and recent graduates Anah Bogdan, Lauryn Higgins and Caroline Winstead, is titled "Carbon isotopic record of a platform-to-basin transect through the Permian Reef Complex (Guadalupian) in the Delaware Basin of Texas and New Mexico." It will appear in the forthcoming PALAEO3 Volume 655, to be published in December 2024, and is available online now. The research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

"The research focuses on the carbon cycle and environments from the Permian (~260 million years ago) and how those environments and their chemistry compare to the Great Bahama Banks. The results have implications for how paleoclimatologist reconstruct past climates and the role that carbon dioxide plays in the Earth's climate system," Quinton said. This project highlights the unique opportunity our undergraduates have to participate in research and become published scientists! At SUNY Potsdam, students get the small-school experience while still gaining the research experience typically found at larger research-oriented institutions.

Over spring break 2024, Quinton and Rygel took a second group of largely first- and second-year students to this area on a travel course where they learned about the geology of the area and the kinds of research opportunities that students can have at SUNY Potsdam.

"Why take students to the field? The most important reason is to give them a sense of the size, scale and complexity of natural systems. It's one thing to read about it in a textbook, another to stand on the edge of an ancient reef," Rygel said.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology publishes high quality studies in the field of palaeoenvironmental geoscience. The journal seeks submissions that address broad scientific questions of interest to a wide international community and focus on significant events in the evolution of life and environment.

SUNY Potsdam's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences trains scientists to understand the interconnected geological, chemical and biological processes that act on the Earth, and how to use science to help solve some of society's most pressing problems. The department offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in geology, and a Bachelor of Science degree program in environmental science. For more information, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/aas/depts/earth.

To learn more about SUNY Potsdam's programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, visit www.potsdam.edu/about/our-campus/study-stem.

About SUNY Potsdam:

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges -- and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.

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Media Attachments

Research conducted by SUNY Potsdam faculty and students during a field excursion to New Mexico and Texas was recently published in the academic journal, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Seen here in the field is Associate Professor Dr. Page Quinton (Photo credit: Ayisha Khalid ’24).

From left, SUNY Potsdam Professor Dr. Michael Rygel and Associate Professor Dr. Page Quinton review samples during field research in Texas and New Mexico. A paper co-published with students and alumni based on the research was recently published (Photo credit: Ayisha Khalid ’24).

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