Maureen received a Ph.D. in geological sciences. She utilized a variety of geophysical data including seismic reflection, seafloor bathymetry, and earthquake data to study sedimentary and tectonic processes of the southeast Alaska margin. Specifically, Maureen’s research focused on the deposition of the Baranof deep-sea fan, earthquake tectonics near Yakutat Bay, and the Queen Charlotte-Fairweather strike-slip system.

INTERESTS
marine geophysics, tectonics, earthquake seismology

SUPERVISOR
Sean Gulick

FIELD EXPERIENCES WHILE AT UTIG
“I’ve been lucky to have conducted field work three times so far, once for 3 weeks aboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth in June 2011, another time aboard a much smaller boat, the USGS R/V Alaskan Gyre, for ~2 weeks in August 2012, and most recently a few days aboard the USCGC Maple for a rapid-response OBS deployment in 2013. All of the cruises were offshore of southeastern Alaska, and I’ve used the data we collected for my own research. I’ve also had the opportunity to go offshore in the Gulf of Mexico for the MG&G Field Course, which was a fantastic learning opportunity and a lot of fun.”

THINGS TO DO IN AUSTIN DURING YOUR SPARE TIME
“I really like going to the social activities the Jackson School graduate students put on, and have been pretty involved with the student groups here. I’ve also been involved with UT choirs and intramural volleyball. I really enjoy swimming and biking, and there are lots of opportunities to do both around Austin. I’d say the most often, though, my husband and I will go check out all of the great food and music around town – there is so much to do and see (and eat!). There’s a couple places I almost always take new people to visit, depending on the time of year. In the summertime, Barton Springs is a great place to cool off – it’s a naturally-fed outdoor pool that’s really popular (and also necessary) during the hot summer months. A fun all-year-round activity is a trip to the Alamo Drafthouse, the perfect place to catch a movie and have some great food and beer. The music festivals (SXSW and ACL, among others) are definitely worth checking out, and visiting the wineries out in Fredericksburg is a really fun day trip.”

PUBLICATIONS
Trehu, A. M., M. Scheidhauer., K. M. M. Rohr, B. Tikoff, M. A. L. Walton, S. P. S. Gulick, and E. C. Roland, An abrupt transition in the mechanical response of the upper crust to transpression along the Queen Charlotte Fault, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Amer., 105, 2015, doi:10.1785/0120140159

Walton, M. A. L., S. P. S. Gulick, P. J. Haessler, E. C. Roland, and A. M. Trehu, Basement and regional structure along-strike of the Queen Charlotte Fault in the context of modern and historical earthquake ruptures, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Amer., 105, 1090-1105, 2015, doi:10.1785/0120140174

Zurbuchen, J. M., S. P. S. Gulick, M. A. L. Walton, and J. A. Goff, Imaging evidence for Hubbard Glacier advances and retreats since the Last Glacial Maximum in Yakutat and Disenchantment Bays, Alaska, Geochem., Geophys., Geosyst., 16, 1962-1974, 2015, doi:10.1002/2015GC005815

Walton, M. A. L., S. P. S. Gulick, R. S. Reece, G. Barth, G. L. Christeson, and H. J. A. Van Avendonk, Dynamic response to strike-slip tectonic control on the deposition and evolution of the Baranof Fan, Gulf of Alaska, Geosphere, 10, 680-691, 2014, doi:10.1130/GES01034.1