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Fullbright Scholar to Study New Zealand’s Mountains
Friday, 16 January 2009
American geologist Marcia Bjornerud (Lawrence University) has been named a recipient of a 2009 Fulbright Senior Scholar Award. Beginning in March, the $28,000 award will support four months of research in New Zealand at the University of Otago.While in New Zealand, her research will focus on rocks exposed along the Alpine Fault on the South Island, one of the world's most active plate boundaries.
(via Lawrence University News) Bjornerud, professor of geology and the Walter Schober Professor in Environmental Studies, specializes in mountain building processes.
"Convergence between two tectonic plates, combined with extremely rapid rates of erosion, can force rocks from as much as eight miles deep in the earth's crust to the surface in 'only' a few million years," said Bjornerud, a member of the Lawrence faculty since 1995. "I will be studying rocks that have recorded ancient earthquakes along this fault line as a way to understand better what happens during great seismic events."
Bjornerud's research in New Zealand will complement her current field-based studies with Lawrence students on the ancient rocks of northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, which were once in a similar tectonic setting.
"Studying fault zones, both modern and ancient, can improve seismic risk assessments in earthquake-prone areas," Bjornerud explained. "While it may never be possible to predict earthquakes with precision, understanding the phenomena that lead to runaway slip on faults may eventually lead to warning systems that could save lives."
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2 comments:
romario rainald Karafir said...
Shalom!!
Hi there..
I’m from papua Indonesia..
when I open this page.. I hopes can find a free/full sholarship.
now how must I do to get a scholarship and join to study in new zealand?
I hopes a good responses
thanks and God Bless Us!
Friday, 23 January 2009 10:41 AM
noelalyn said...
greeting of peace!
hi i’m noelalyn from the philippines I would really like to get scholarship to study in New Zealand hope you could help me.
Thank you very much
Wednesday, 28 January 2009 04:18 PM