Curriculum Vita

YVONNE KAY BRANAN

(January, 2005)

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

    Address: Geological & Mining Engineering & Sciences, Michigan Technological University, 1400

                      Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI, 49931-1295, USA

    Telephone: (906) 487-1761

    Fax: (906) 487-3371

    E-mail: ykbranan@mtu.edu

 

 

ACADEMIC INTERESTS

     Active volcanism, with a specific interest in the correlation of SO2 gas fluxes, and thermal and seismic signals in order to better understand eruptive and conduit processes.

 

 

EDUCATION

    Indiana University of Pennsylvania                                                                                         Indiana, PA

     Bachelor of Science in Geology                                                                                      1996-August 2001

     Thesis:  Latitudinal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

                   recorded by eolian sediments from the central and eastern Pacific

 

    University at Buffalo                                                                                                                Buffalo, NY

     Department of Geological Sciences                                                                                        Summer 2001

 

    Michigan Technological University                                                                                                Houghton, MI

     Department of Geological & Mining Engineering & Sciences                                        August, 2001-Present

 

    

FIELD EXPERIENCE

 

     Field Researcher - Alaska                                                                                             Jul. 2004 – Aug. 2004

     Michigan Technological University

  • Assisting Alaska Volcano Observatory in the setup and initial testing of new remotely-sensing gas equipment, the MUSe (mini-UV spectrometer).  Tests performed at the following field areas: Shishaldin Volcano, Pavlof and Hague Volcanoes, and Veniaminof Volcano.

 

     Field Researcher - Guatemala                                                                                        Jan. 2004 – Feb. 2004

     Michigan Technological University

  • Gathering field data (using TIR radiometer, correlation spectrometer, and two miniature ultraviolet spectrometers, MUSEs, and a seismometer) at Santiaguito and Fuego Volcanoes in Guatemala, while working closely with local government agencies.

 

     Field Researcher - Guatemala                                                                                       Jan. 2003 – Feb. 2003

     Michigan Technological University

  • Gathering field data (using TIR radiometer, correlation spectrometer, and miniature ultraviolet spectrometer, MUSE, and a seismometer) at Santiaguito Volcano in Guatemala, while working closely with local government agencies.

     Field Researcher - Italy                                                                                          Sept. 2002 – Oct. 2002

     Michigan Technological University

  • Gathering field data (using a miniature differential optical absorption spectrometer) at several volcanoes in Italy (including Vulcano, Stromboli, and Etna), while collaborating with other scientists from Open University, University of Hawai’i, University of Firenze, and Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)

     Field Researcher – Central America                                                                            Jan. 2002 – Feb. 2002

     Michigan Technological University

  • Gathering field data (using TIR radiometer, correlation spectrometer, and sun photometer) at several Central American volcanoes (including Pacaya, Fuego, Santiaguito, Santa Ana, San Miguel, Masaya, and San Cristobal), while working closely with local government agencies

 

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

     Natural Hazards (GE4150/5150)                                                                                 Aug. 2003 – Dec. 2003

     Michigan Technological University

  • Fully taught 5 week portion of this undergraduate/graduate laboratory course covering aspects of volcanic hazards, including a mock volcano crisis with mitigation planning and seismic hazards, including understanding different approaches to calculating seismic risk.

 

 

ACADEMIC / RESEARCH AWARDS

     Provost Scholar, Indiana University of Pennsylvania                                                                  1996-2001

     Dean’s List, Indiana University of Pennsylvania                                                                         1996-2001

     Margaret Flegal Harte Scholarship, Indiana University of Pennsylvania                                    1999-2000

     Undergraduate Sigma Xi Distinguished Research Award, Sigma Xi                                          2000-2001

     WA Tarr Award, Outstanding Undergraduate in Geological Sciences, Sigma Gamma Epsilon May 2001

     GAANN Fellowship, Department of Education                                                                                  2001-2006

     Michigan Space Grant                                                                                                                               2003-2004

     NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Honorable Mention                                                                   2003-2004

    Thornton Endowed Fellowship                                                                                                               2003-2004

     Jack Kleinman Internship for Volcano Research                                                                                  2004

 

 

PRESENTATIONS & ABSTRACTS

     SA Hovan, YK Branan, DK Moore, JD Gleason, Latitudinal migration of the Intertropical

         Convergence Zone (ITCZ) recorded by eolian sediments from the central and eastern Pacific, AGU 

         abstract, Fall AGU Meeting, 2000.

     Sigma Xi Research Symposium, Indiana University of PA, Spring 2000.

     Undergraduate Senior Thesis: The path of the Intertropical Convergence Zone throughout the

         Cenozoic as seen through eolian sediment records, Spring 2001.

    Branan, YK, WI Rose, O Matias, D Escobar, G Bluth, IM Watson, J Shannon, Comprehensive

         COSPEC measurements to measure SO2 conversions in moist tropical atmosphere, Santa Ana, El

         Salvador, AGU abstract, Fall AGU Meeting, 2001.

     Rodriguez, LA, YK Branan, IM Watson, GJS Bluth, WI Rose, G Chigna, O Matias, A Coy, SA Carn, T

         Fischer, SO2 emissions to the atmosphere from active volcanoes in northern Central America, 2000-

         2002, AGU abstract, Spring AGU Meeting, 2002.

     Branan, YK, IM Watson, AJL Harris, WI Rose, LA Rodriguez, G Chigna, S Carn, L Flynn, GJS Bluth,

         J Byman, Search for eruptive patterns at Santiaguito Crater, Santa Maria Volcano, Guatemala, AGU

         abstract, Fall AGU Meeting, 2002.

     Bluth, GJ, YK Branan, WI Rose, IM Watson, O Matias, Observations of Santiaguito’s eruptive and           

         passive emissions, AGU abstract, Fall AGU Meeting 2002.

     Branan, YK, IM Watson, AJL Harris, WI Rose, GJS Bluth, G Chigna, M Mota, Correlation of SO2 gas   

         emissions, seismicity and thermal signals at Santiaguito, Guatemala, AGU abstract, Fall AGU

         Meeting 2003.

     Lopez, T, IM Watson, LA Rodriguez, YK Branan, WI Rose, GJS Bluth, Photometric observations of

         aerosol plumes from volcanoes in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, AGU abstract, Fall AGU

         Meeting 2003.

     Branan, YK, A Harris, IM Watson, K Horton, G Williams-Jones, H Garbeil, M Ripepe, L Wilson 

         W Rose, Gas Puffing at Masaya: Evidence for Consistent Pulse Frequency at a Persistently Degassing

         System, IAVCEI General Assembly 2004.

     Harris, A, K Horton, M Ripepe, E Marchetti, Y Branan, C Kearney, E Calder, M Davies, J Dehn, M

         Patrick, G Williams-Jones, L Wilson, Integrated Thermal Monitoring 2:  Gas Puffing as a Proxy for

         Degassing Rates at Persistently Active Systems, IAVCEI General Assembly 2004.

     Kearney C, A Harris, K Horton, J Dehn, S Clegg, Y Branan, K Dean, SO2 and thermal signatures of

         puffing events at Pu’u O’o since 2002, IAVCEI General Assembly 2004.

 

 

PUBLICATIONS

    Branan, Y.K., Harris, A.J.L., Watson, I.M., Horton, K., Williams-Jones, G., and Garbeil, H., 2005, Gas

         puffing at Masaya: Evidence for steady degassing at a persistently active system, Journal of

         Volcanology and Geothermal Research, submitted.

    Rodríguez, L.A., Watson, I.M., Rose, W.I., Branan, Y.K., Bluth, G.J.S., Chigna, G., Matías, O.,

         Escobar, D., Carn, S.A. and Fischer, T., 2004, SO2 emissions to the atmosphere from active volcanoes

         in Guatemala and El Salvador, 1999-2002, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research,

         138 (3-4), pp. 345-364.

 

 

CONFERENCES ATTENDED

    Geological Society of America Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado                                  October 1999

    American Geophysical Union Meeting, San Francisco, California                                      December 2000

    American Geophysical Union Meeting, San Francisco, California                                      December 2001

    American Geophysical Union Meeting, San Francisco, California                                      December 2002

    American Geophysical Union Meeting, San Francisco, California                                             December 2003

 

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

     American Geophysical Union

     International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior

     Phi Kappa Phi

     Sigma Gamma Epsilon

     Sigma Xi