What’s Up! My name is Emma Jean and I am a second-year graduate student in the Earth and Geospatial Sciences program at North Carolina Central University. I am a proud city girl at heart, born and raised in New Jersey and never would’ve imagined that I would enjoy being outdoors examining geological features. 

One thing I love about studying Geology is that that are an array of sub-fields to choose from and other skills can be intertwined with the subject. I have taken courses on Geographic Information Systems that taught me how to create digital maps on almost anything. 

My research focuses on studying and mapping geological hazards that pose a risk to communities and infrastructures, specifically landslides. In the future, I want a career that not only allows me to continue researching geologic processes but also interact with different communities through outreach to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals.

3 facts about landslides

  1. Landslides cannot be predicted; however, they do have triggers. These triggers can be heavy rain, soil erosion, human activity, gravity, and more! 
  2. Landslides cause a lot of damage, and this damage can be costly to repair. In the state of North Carolina, major road repairs and stabilization costs can exceed $10 million and indirect costs, due to lengthy detours, can exceed $5 million per landslide event.
  3. Landslides do not only occur on Earth. Throughout the solar system, there has been evidence that landslides have occurred, on Mars and Venus specifically. Landslides can also occur in the ocean, known as submarine landslides.

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Photos courtesy of Emma Jean.

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