Alison Koleszar (she/hers)

"Deconvolving the relationship between subtle shifts in geochemistry and dramatic changes in explosivity at Augustine Volcano, Alaska" - The 2006 eruption at Augustine was small (VEI = 3), but coarse pumice deposits record five large, high explosivity (VEI 4-5+) eruptions over the past 2000 years. Higher explosivity eruptions at Augustine are fueled by a greater proportion of high silica andesite (HSA).

"Reconstructing eruptive intensity at Augustine Volcano: Tephra stratigraphy and componentry of the 750 ybp Tephra M eruption." Tephra stratigraphy records a recent VEI 5+ eruption at Augustine Volcano.

The @colgate.edu BLAST (Bubbles, Lavas, and Silicic Tephras) research group is heading to @iavcei.bsky.social 2025! Come and chat about geochem/componentry/explosivity/grainsize on Monday and Friday afternoons: Poster 1.7.23 (Monday, Koleszar et al) and Poster 3.4.26 (Friday, D'Errico et al).

a ternary diagram of pastry. The three vertices are "crumbly," "flaky," and "goopy." Written in pencil on white paper.

10-year-old kiddo made a pastry ternary, but both parents are geologists so...

a ternary diagram of pastry. The three vertices are "crumbly," "flaky," and "goopy." Written in pencil on white paper.

10-year-old kiddo made a pastry ternary, but both parents are geologists so...

Come find fault with our students! I mean, come find faults *with* our students. Colgate Earth and Environmental Geosciences is seeking a Visiting Assistant Professor in Structural Geology. Review starts May 16.
apply.interfolio.com/167020 NB: No interesting structures in the photo, just seds. 🧪⚒️

But little by little I kept moving it forward until I had more energy to make it a reality this past year. So if you can relate in any way to that story, I just want to say that I see you & I am here cheering you on...one day your project too will make it into world.
6/6 #disabledacademic

Today’s firings from NOAA/NWS are unconscionable & make us all less safe.

It is wild to see certain weather bros for the first time realize politics affects them. I hope this inspires them to be more proactively engaged in politics instead of loudly and proudly declaring themselves above politics.

Some folks have asked, given recent news, “how do I show my friends/family the impact of NSF?” We have some easy Fact Sheets for you! Here’s a brief thread about this website: new.nsf.gov/about/fact-s... which hosts a ton of useful one-pagers.

Whoa, those are some young zircons! This was a really neat read-- thanks for posting!

I prefer “Chicxulub’s Splash Pool” but the app isn’t flexible that way.

Many areas are seeing record snowfall this winter, thanks to global warming--or rather, global weirding!

How so?

It hasn't been cold enough for lakes other than Erie to completely ice over yet. As cold air sweeps across them, it's picking up moisture and dumping massive snowfall on the other side.

There are so many things wrong with this country but there were so many things right with it too. Watching the good things get destroyed in the service of rich white men is gut wrenching

Hello Bluesky community! #ESWN is a non-profit providing opportunities for peer mentoring, community building, and career development for scientists, educators, and professionals who contribute to and support the earth, space, and environmental sciences. Give us a follow and say hi!

The tips of two cross-country skis in tracks in the snow.

An hour in the woods to battle the Sunday Scaries.

Really excited about this— Wingspan (and the dragon version, Wyrmspan!) are favorites in our household.

Time to edit the syllabus for Dangerous Earth to include this!
(The first hazard covered in the course is impacts from space)

So many in my area complaining that their roads "aren't clear" and I'm confused about the expectation. A plow doesn't get every molecule of snow up. And if it stays way below freezing, nothing left behind will melt. Do they expect pristine asphalt? Not trying to dunk on them, I'm just so confused.

Screenshot of a registration confirmation. Volcano icon on the left with IAVCEI written under it. On the right is text that says Thank You for Registration.

woot! Super excited about #volcano science at #IAVCEI this summer. Colgate BLAST (Bubbles, Lavas, and Silicic Tephras) is submitting two abstracts, featuring five @colgateuniversity.bsky.social undergrads plus colleagues from WWU and USGS-AVO!

Planning your climate or environment syllabus? I like to show short videos so students & I can visualize some of the things we're talking about. Here are some of the ones I like:

A green 3D clip attached to the edge of a large white bucket. The clip is holding a length of clear tubing.

Acquisition of a 3D printer: kiddo was jazzed about articulated dragons/axolotls/fidgets; I was jazzed about bits and bobs for streamlining #lab work! This little green widget means no more juggling tubing while carefully tipping a full 8-gal bucket to siphon water off of sieved tephras. #geology

Nine foil pans of light gray tephra, arranged in size from biggest to smallest. The middle size fractions are the most abundant.

Loaf pans of data! Looks like a unimodal normal distribution for this tephra sub-layer (c. 750-year-old pumice from Augustine #Volcano).

This particular course also starts off with reading "#NoNaturalDisasters - Changing the discourse of disaster reporting" www.preventionweb.net/media/96969/...

Geology Isn’t Rocks Geology Isn’t Rocks

and also-- every 100-level #geology course that I teach starts off with this excellent article from @erikklemetti.bsky.social - "Geology isn't rocks"

www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth...

Disaster-zone research needs a code of conduct Study the effects of earthquakes, floods and other natural hazards with sensitivity to ethical dilemmas and power imbalances.

"Disaster-zone research needs a code of conduct" by @jcgaillard.bsky.social and Lori Peek
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

The Earthquake That Will Devastate the Pacific Northwest When the Cascadia fault line ruptures, it could be North America’s worst natural disaster in recorded history.

"The really big one" by Kathryn Schulz www.newyorker.com/magazine/201...
and

How Volcanologists Can Improve Urban Climate Resilience - Eos City-level strategies to cope with climate change can benefit from the insights of volcano scientists, who have long customized hazard information and communications for local communities.

"How Volcanologists Can Improve Urban Climate
Resilience" by Jonathan Fink and Michael Armstrong
eos.org/features/how...
and

The next massive volcano eruption will cause climate chaos — and we are unprepared Volcanic activity will be experienced differently in a warmer world. Researchers need to understand these risks and how they could spiral.

"The next massive volcano eruption will cause climate chaos -- and we are unprepared" by Marcus Stoffel, Christophe Corona, & @scottstgeorge.paleohydrology.com www.nature.com/articles/d41...
and

in addition to some excellent articles including:
"What volcanic hazard could you outrun?" by @erikklemetti.bsky.social
www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth...
and

Working on the syllabus for "Dangerous Earth" and getting super excited to revisit these excellent books with students @colgateuniversity.bsky.social!

"Quakeland" - @kathryn-miles.bsky.social
"Disasterology" - @samlmontano.bsky.social
"Eruption" - Steve Olson
"Asteroid Hunters" - Carrie Nugent

a cartoon sheep is standing in front of a wall of pictures ALT: a cartoon sheep is standing in front of a wall of pictures

Oh no, just finished watching a few episodes of "Shaun the Sheep" for family movie night.

On reflection, I would much rather have pumpkin spice in everything than AI in everything.