Aisha Morris

REU Site: Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Earth Systems Career Readiness

The Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Earth Systems Career Readiness project is an award-notice initiative funded by the National Science Foundation under the GEO Core Programs. This program provides undergraduate students from across the United States with intensive, hands-on research experience in land-atmospheric systems, hazard mitigation, and resource management. Participants work under the mentorship of faculty and researchers to develop technical proficiency in data and statistical analysis, chemical analyses, and the use of advanced instrumentation. The primary goal of the initiative is to strengthen the scientific and engineering workforce by preparing students to tackle national challenges, including critical minerals sourcing and water management. By combining independent research projects with cohort collaboration, the program emphasizes professional networking and the communication of research outcomes. This award was granted based on the National Science Foundation's criteria for intellectual merit and broader impacts, with Aisha Morris serving as the designated Program Officer.

National Science FoundationOH, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2548098

Awarded

Awarded

Conference: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Geoscience Education

The National Science Foundation's GEO Core Programs has issued an award for the Navigating Artificial Intelligence in Geoscience Education conference. This three-day virtual event is designed to bridge a gap in professional development by bringing together undergraduate geoscience educators to explore how AI is transforming pedagogy. The program will feature plenary talks from national experts, virtual poster sessions, and intensive small-group working sessions aimed at identifying best practices and developing community resources. The initiative expects to directly support over 340 educators, impacting approximately 10,000 undergraduate students annually. To maximize its reach, the conference resources will be made publicly available via the Science Education Resource Center website, serving as a guide for U.S. geoscience faculty and other STEM disciplines. This award was granted based on the project's intellectual merit and broader impacts, positioning the event as a template for how academic disciplines can respond to rapid technological change.

National Science FoundationMN, USA

NAICS

561920

Convention and Trade Show Organizers

2628948

Awarded

Awarded

REU Site: Remote Sensing of Earth and Environmental Systems

The Remote Sensing of Earth and Environmental Systems project is an award-notice initiative funded by the National Science Foundation under the GEO Core Programs. This program provides undergraduate students from across the United States with intensive, hands-on research opportunities focused on terrestrial remote sensing. Participants will engage in place-based STEM research, field investigations, and science communication, working under the mentorship of experienced faculty and researchers to address critical environmental and geoscience challenges. The primary goal of the site is to strengthen the scientific and engineering workforce by equipping students with professional networks, technical skills, and career exploration opportunities. Selected through criteria emphasizing intellectual merit and broader impacts, the program emphasizes a collaborative cohort model to prepare students for future professional roles. Administrative inquiries regarding this award can be directed to Program Officer Aisha Morris.

National Science FoundationAZ, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2548511

Awarded

Awarded

Postdoctoral Fellowship: EAR-PF: Quantifying the Paleolatitude of a Continental Ice Sheet

This National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship focuses on quantifying the paleolatitude of continental ice sheets during the Cryogenian Period, specifically between 717 and 635 million years ago. The research aims to determine if the Earth was fully encased in ice during the Snowball Earth intervals by collecting and analyzing rare paleomagnetic data from the Tavakivi sandstone injectites in the Front Range of central Colorado. By establishing a high temporal resolution record of Laurentia's position approximately 690 to 660 million years ago, the project seeks to fill a critical gap in geologic time known as the Great Unconformity. Beyond its scientific goals, the project supports national interests by improving the understanding of how critical mineral deposits form in association with the Great Unconformity. The fellowship also emphasizes the development of the United States STEM workforce through the direct mentorship and training of undergraduate researchers. This award was granted based on the National Science Foundation's criteria for intellectual merit and broader impacts.

National Science FoundationCA, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2603255

Awarded

Awarded

Postdoctoral Fellowship: EAR-PF: The relationship between specialization, environmental change, and extinction risk at the dawn of the Age of Mammals

This National Science Foundation award supports a postdoctoral fellowship focused on the relationship between dietary specialization, environmental change, and extinction risk among mammals during the mid-to-late Paleocene. Utilizing the fossil and geological records of the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming, the project employs 3D dental morphology models and statistical frameworks to analyze how ecological specialization influenced extinction risk, clade diversification, and community diversity. By integrating paleoenvironmental data, the research seeks to understand the factors shaping mammalian biodiversity and provide insights into the resilience of species and ecosystems facing environmental shifts. Beyond its primary research goals, the project emphasizes broader impacts through science education and public engagement. Planned initiatives include the creation of K-12 classroom learning tools, a community science program, undergraduate research opportunities, and public webinars to communicate findings. This comprehensive approach aims to train future scientists while fostering a deeper public understanding of evolutionary biology and biodiversity change.

National Science FoundationMI, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2603353

Awarded

Awarded

Postdoctoral Fellowship: EAR-PF: Untapped critical mineral resources and insights from rubidium isotopic variations in lithium-rich brines

This National Science Foundation award supports a postdoctoral fellowship focused on investigating the co-accumulation of rubidium within lithium-rich brines across the western United States and South America's Lithium Triangle. The project aims to quantify rubidium concentrations and isotopic variations to establish a framework for evaluating critical mineral resources essential for fiber optics and advanced electronics. By testing hypotheses regarding rubidium behavior during potassium salt formation and using stable isotopes to trace geochemical processes, the research seeks to improve sustainable resource development and mineral exploration. Beyond the technical research, the initiative emphasizes geoscience workforce development through undergraduate training and the promotion of collaborations between academia and the private sector. The project aligns with national interests by enhancing the understanding of critical mineral enrichment in saline environments and developing strategies for the characterization and recovery of these vital materials.

National Science FoundationRI, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2603455

Awarded

Awarded

Postdoctoral Fellowship: EAR-PF: Influence of Glacial Outburst Floods on Estuarine Morphodynamics and Water Transport

This National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship focuses on the influence of glacial lake outburst floods on estuarine morphodynamics and water transport, using the Mendenhall-Juneau system as a primary study site. The project aims to fill a critical research gap by investigating how single and repeated sediment-laden floods, as well as the levees designed to contain them, reshape downstream estuaries and affect their long-term functions. By utilizing an integrated hydro-morphodynamic modeling framework calibrated with satellite and field data, the researcher will determine if estuaries can recover between events or if they undergo permanent reorganization. Beyond the technical research, the award emphasizes broader societal impacts through Earth science education and professional training. The project will provide place-based educational opportunities for middle school students in flood-vulnerable communities and develop an open-source Coding the Water Cycle curriculum for future water resource researchers. Ultimately, the study seeks to improve predictions of estuarine conveyance and exchange in glacier-influenced regions to better understand coastal responses to increasing flood hazards.

National Science FoundationCO, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2603547

Awarded

Awarded

Postdoctoral Fellowship: EAR-PF: Expansion and validation of a robust global seismic debris flow model

This National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship focuses on advancing environmental seismology to better monitor and characterize destructive debris flows in remote mountainous regions. The project aims to develop and validate a physics-based mathematical seismic model that can estimate key debris-flow properties, such as flow velocity, grain-size distribution, and channel slope, directly from seismic observations. By improving the ability to monitor these hazards remotely, the research seeks to enhance hazard assessments and the effectiveness of early-warning systems for at-risk communities and infrastructure. The research will be executed in three phases, beginning with calibration at the US Geological Survey Experimental Debris-Flow Flume in Oregon, followed by application to natural events at Tahoma Creek on Mount Rainier, and concluding with a global generalization using the Exotic Seismic Events Catalog. Beyond the technical modeling, the fellowship includes a commitment to educational outreach through the creation of teaching materials and the mentoring of undergraduate researchers. This comprehensive approach integrates seismic data, geomorphic measurements, and numerical modeling to create a transferable framework for monitoring hazardous mass movements worldwide.

National Science FoundationCA, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2603594

Awarded

Awarded

Postdoctoral Fellowship: EAR-PF: What controls earthquakes at the Cascadia subduction zone? Friction of subducting rocks at in situ pressure-temperature-fluid chemistry conditions

This National Science Foundation award supports a postdoctoral fellowship focused on investigating the frictional properties of clay-rich materials within the Cascadia subduction zone to better understand earthquake and tsunami hazards. By utilizing a triaxial apparatus at the University of California, Santa Cruz, the project will conduct the first friction experiments on Ocean Drilling Program cores under in situ pressure, temperature, and fluid chemistry conditions. The research integrates experimental data with numerical quasidynamic earthquake cycle models to determine recurrence intervals and nucleation depths, while employing imaging and elemental analysis to characterize deformation and physiochemical processes. Beyond its scientific objectives, the project aims to enhance national geologic hazard resilience and strengthen the STEM workforce by providing hands-on research experiences for undergraduate students. By leveraging a newly discovered seafloor seep for fluid analysis and fostering partnerships between academia and federal stakeholders, the work seeks to resolve rheological controls on rupture extent. Ultimately, this research serves the public interest by improving the safety of individuals in the United States through a deeper understanding of the mechanisms governing subduction zone earthquakes.

National Science FoundationCA, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2603607

Awarded

Awarded

REU Site: Coastal Resilience Across Communities

The REU Site: Coastal Resilience Across Communities is an award notice from the National Science Foundation's GEO Core Programs designed to provide undergraduate students nationwide with intensive, hands-on research opportunities. Participants will engage in independent, transdisciplinary projects focused on coastal resilience, working under the mentorship of experienced faculty and researchers. The program aims to equip students with essential scientific skills and professional networks to prepare them for careers as scientists and engineers capable of addressing complex coastal challenges. Managed by Program Officer Aisha Morris, this initiative was selected based on the National Science Foundation's criteria for intellectual merit and broader impacts. By fostering a collaborative cohort environment, the project seeks to strengthen the scientific workforce through career exploration and team-based research. The award is identified by solicitation number 2547997 and was posted on July 28, 2026.

National Science FoundationNC, USA

NAICS

541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

2547997

Awarded