Curriculum Vitae

My Work

Department Links

Academic Career:

Selected Field Experience:

• 2001 Shipboard paleomagnetist, Ocean Drilling Program Leg 197
• 2000 Field Assistant, Expedition to the High Canadian Arctic (Axel Heiberg Island, Ellesmere Island), University of Rochester, Paleomagnetic Research Group
• 1997 Expedition to Cretaceous Chalk deposits of the Gulf Coast
• 1996 Field Assistant, Expedition to the High Canadian Arctic (Axel Heiberg Island), University of Rochester, Paleomagnetic Research Group
• 1994-2007 Select class related field trips around New York State; EES 101, EES 201

Professional Societies:

• Geological Society of America, member since 1994
• American Geophysical Union, member since 1995
• Sigma Gamma Epsilon, member since 1995
• Sigma Pi Sigma, member since 1993

Honors and Awards:

• Outstanding Student Paper Award, Geomagnetism/Paleomagnetism Section, American,Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, 1998
• Magna Cum Laude, SUNY Geneseo, 1994
• Outstanding Student in Geological Sciences, SUNY Geneseo, 1994
• Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Nominee for SUNY Geneseo, 1993

Research Interests:

Paleomagnetism, rock magnetism, environmental magnetism, rates of plate motion, rates of hotspot motion, true polar wander, paleointensity, Cretaceous climate, tectonics

Selected Publications:

J.A. Tarduno, R.D. Cottrell and S.L. Wilkison, Magnetostratigraphy of the Late Cretaceous to Eocene Sverdrup Basin: Implications for heterochroneity, deformation and rotations in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Journal of Geophysical Research, 102, 723-746, 1997.

J. A. Tarduno and R. D. Cottrell, Paleomagnetic evidence for motion of the Hawaiian hotspot during formation of the Emperor seamounts, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 153, 171-180, 1997.

J. A. Tarduno, D. B. Brinkman, P. R. Renne, R. D. Cottrell, H. Scher, P. Castillo, Evidence for Extreme Climatic Warmth from Late Cretaceous Arctic Vertebrates, Science, 282, 2241-2244, 1998.

R. D. Cottrell and J. A. Tarduno, Geomagnetic paleointensity derived from single plagioclase crystals, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 169, 1-5, 1999.

R. D. Cottrell and J. A. Tarduno, Late Cretaceous True Polar Wander: Not So Fast, Science, 288, 2283, 2000.

R. D. Cottrell and J. A. Tarduno, In search of high fidelity geomagnetic paleointensities: A comparison of single plagioclase crystal and whole rock Thellier-Thellier analyses, Journal of Geophysical Research, 105, 23,579-23,594, 2000.

J. A. Tarduno, R. D. Cottrell, and Alexei V. Smirnov, High Geomagnetic Field Intensity During the mid-Cretaceous from Thellier Analyses of Single Plagioclase Crystals, Science, 291, 1779-1783, 2001.

J. A. Tarduno, R. D. Cottrell, and A. V. Smirnov, The Cretaceous superchron geodynamo: Observations near the tangent cylinder, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 99, 14020-14025, 2002.

R. D. Cottrell and J. A. Tarduno, A Late Cretaceous pole for the Pacific plate: implications for apparent and true polar wander and the drift of hotspots, Tectonophysics, 362, 321-333, 2003.

J. A. Tarduno, R. A. Duncan, D. W. Scholl, R. D. Cottrell, B. Steinberger, T. Thordarson, B. C. Kerr, C. R. Neal, F. A. Frey, M. Torii, and C. Carvallo, The Emperor Seamounts: Southward Motion of the Hawaiian Hotspot Plume in Earth's Mantle, Science, 301, 1064-1069, 2003.

J. A. Tarduno and R. D. Cottrell, Dipole strength and variation of the time-averaged reversing and nonreversing geodynamo based on Thellier analyses of single plagioclase crystals, Journal of Geophysical Research, 110, B11101, doi:10.1029/2005JB003970, 2005.

J. A. Tarduno, R. D. Cottrell, and Alexei V. Smirnov, The paleomagnetism of single silicate crystals: Recording geomagnetic field strength during mixed polarity intervals, superchrons, and inner core growth, Reviews in Geophysics, 44(1), RG1002, 10.1029/2005RG000189, 2006.

J. A. Tarduno, R. D. Cottrell, M. K. Watkeys, and D. Bauch, Geomagnetic field strength 3.2 billion years ago recorded by single silicate crystals, Nature, 446, 657-660, doi:10.1038/nature05667, 2007.

see a transcript of Nature's Podcast, 5 April 2007 edition,

http://www.nature.com/nature/podcast/v446/n7136/nature-2007-04-05.html

Selected Presentations

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, Stromberg Lava Directional and Paleointensity Data from Transitional Lava flows: Implications for the Mesozoic Dipole Low, Eos Trans. AGU, 87(36), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract GP23A-04, 2006.

Cottrell, R D, Tarduno, J A and Watkeys, M K, Rock magnetic and paleointensity data from plagioclase crystals of the Stormberg (Karoo) Lavas of Lesotho,Eos Trans. AGU, 86(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., GP13A-0033, 2005.

Cottrell, R D, Smirnov A V and Tarduno, J A, Rapid True Polar Wander: A Quixotic Search?, Eos Trans. AGU, 85(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., U33A-0024, 2004.

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, CO₂ Step-heating of Feldspar Crystals: A New Technique to Derive Paleomagnetic Directional and Paleointensity Data, Eos Trans. AGU, 84(46), Fall meet. Suppl., Abstract GP11B-0256, 2003.

Cottrell, R D, Tarduno, J A, Carvallo, C, Torii, M, and Doubrovine, P V, Paleolatitude of Nintoku Seamount (ODP Leg 197, Site 1205): Implications for Motion of the Hawaiian Hotspot, Eos Trans. AGU, 83(47), Fall meet. Suppl., Abstract T61C-01 Invited, 2002.

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary Motion of the Hawaiian Hotspot and its Geodynamic Implications, GSA Abstracts with Programs, Cordilleran Section - 98th Annual Meeting, 2002.

Olton, G, Cottrell, R D, Tarduno, J A, Carvallo, C, Torii, M, and Doubrovine, P V, Paleomagnetic and rock magnetic results from Koko Seamount (ODP Leg 197, Site 1206): Implications for hotspot motion, Eos Trans. AGU, 83(47), Fall meet. Suppl., Abstract T62A-1293, 2002.

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, Pacific Apparent Polar Wander: Evidence for Hotspot Drift and Plate Motion Rather Than Rapid True Polar Wander, Eos Trans. AGU, 82, Spring Meet. Suppl., Abstract T51A-06, 2001.

Cottrell, R D, Tarduno, J A, and Smirnov, J.A. Evidence for High Geomagnetic Field Intensities During Times of Low Reversal Frequency, Eos Trans. AGU, 82, Spring Meet. Suppl., Abstract GP52A-05 - Invited, 2001.

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, High geomagnetic intensities during the mid-Cretaceous: Tests using Thellier analyses of plagioclase crystals from basalts of the High Canadian Arctic, Eos Trans. AGU, 81, Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract GP72B-07, 2000.

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, Late Cretaceous True Polar Wander: Not So Fast, Eos Trans. AGU, 81, Spring Meet. Suppl., Abstract T51A-06, 2000.

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, A Comparison of Whole Rock and Single Crystal Thellier-Thellier Paleointensity Results, Eos Trans. AGU, 79, Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract GP31B-12, 1998.

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, Single Crystal Paleointensity Studies, Eos Trans. AGU, 79, Spring Meet. Suppl., Abstract GP21A-08, 1998.

Cottrell, R D and Tarduno, J A, Magnetic Hysteresis Properties of Single Crystals: Prelude to Paleointensity Studies, Eos Trans. AGU, 78, Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract GP41A-05, 1997.

Session Chair: American Geophysical Union

• Paleomagnetism Applied to Tectonics and the Geodynamo, R Cottrell, University of Rochester; A Smirnov, Yale University, Joint Assembly Meeting, 2006.
• The Hawaiian-Emperor Seamounts: New Results and Implications for the Nature of Hot Spots II Posters, D Scholl, Stanford University; R Cottrell, University of Rochester, Fall Meeting, 2002.

Course Work

1999

GSci 100 – Our Geologic Environment (SUNY Geneseo)

2000, 2006

EES 205 – Solid Earth Geophysics 

2000-2006

EES 101 – Introduction to Physical Geology (Laboratory) 

This introductory geology class provides a broad overview of the Earth Sciences, from planetary evolution to the interplay of geology and climate. The course is a prerequisite for all undergraduate majors who are considering careers in the Earth and Environmental Sciences, while also satisfying science requirements for other undergraduate majors. A basic introduction to geological processes is supplemented with an emphasis on marine geology and plate tectonics. The course also aims to provide students with a geological background with which they can better evaluate current environmental issues, including potential global warming. The lecture material is supplemented with laboratory exercises that enhance the students' understanding of Earth processes, including mineral and rock identification, river, glacial, desert and coastal landscapes, earthquakes, lunar geology, geologic time, deformation of the Earth's crust and climate change through geologic history.

2003-2008

EES 201 – Evolution of the Earth 

2007

EES 256 – Paleomagnetism and Global Plate Tectonics

The purpose of this class is to introduce the student to the concepts of paleomagnetism and its application in the study of global plate tectonics. The study of paleomagnetism revolutionized how scientists theorized how lithospheric plates moved – from the simplistic approach of continental drift to the actual mechanism of sea floor spreading and using paleomagnetic poles to demonstrate how lithospheric plates have moved in the past.

EES 259 – Seminar in Paleomagnetism

This course is intended for students who wish to learn the techniques employed by paleomagnetists in considering different geologic problems including but not limited to tectonics, hotspot motion, rock magnetic properties as used to determine the fidelity of magnetic recorders. Students are asked to work on a semester project, present their work to the class, and write an NSF-like proposal to solve a geologic problem through the use of paleomagnetism.

Synergistic Activities

Referee for Journal of Geophysical Research; Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems; Earth and Planetary Science Letters, National Science Foundation

Chapter/multi-media reviewer for Prentice Hall Publications, W. H. Freeman and Company, and Wiley Publications (historical geology and physical geology textbooks)

Organizer/Instructor for local K-12 programs, including Science Olympiad, Odyssey of the Mind, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, and local charter schools and science museum exhibits (Rochester, NY)

Mentor for high school students interested in summer internship opportunities in geology through local school districts (Rochester, NY)

Staff advisor for undergraduate geology club (Undergraduate Student Geology Organization) and National Honor Society for Earth Scientists (Zeta Phi chapter of Sigma Gamma Epsilon)

Local field trip leader for small interest groups through Mt Hope Cemetery (Glacial geology of Rochester, NY) and Rochester and Letchworth Gorges (Paleozoic geology of New York).

Web administrator for the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences