Tyson McKinney

Alumnus
MS Spring 2014

Office Location

Webb 2022

Specialization

Research Area
Structural Geology and Petrology

Advisor
John Cottle

 

Bio

Award(s)

Preston Cloud Award, 2013/14
 

Research

My research focuses on the mechanisms by which rare earth element-bearing minerals are formed, particularly in the Music Valley region of Joshua Tree National Park. The methods I incorporate into my research include detailed geologic mapping, imaging of individual mineral grains using electron microbeam techniques and analysis of isotopic characteristics and U-Th-Pb ages using a groundbreaking split-beam technique that has been developed here at UCSB. While earning my B.S. at The University of Texas at Austin, I participated in research that investigated the petrogenesis of extrusive igneous rocks from Kula, Turkey. During a summer REU (research experience for undergraduates, funded by the NSF), I investigated the complex relationships of Precambrian basement rocks that are exposed in Northern Yellowstone National Park and the Beartooth Mountain Range.

Publications

ABSTRACTS

McKinney, S.T., Mogk, D.W., Henry, D.J., Mueller, P.A., Foster, D.A., Catlos, E.J. (2012) Precambrian geology of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and surrounding areas: petrogenesis of leucogranites. GSA Abstract 23(4). 

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

McKinney, S.T., Mogk, D.W., Henry, D.J., Mueller, P.A., Foster, D.A., Catlos, E.J. (2012) Precambrian geology of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and surrounding areas: petrogenesis of leucogranites. GSA South Central Meeting, 23(4). 10 May 2012.

Courses

Earth 2: Physical Geology (Teaching Assistant), S13

Earth 4:  Intro to Oceanography (Teaching Assistant), F12

Earth 157: Plate Tectonics (Teaching Assistant), W13