St. Lawrence Geology Students and Faculty Share Research at GSA Connects 2026
From tracking microplastics in North Country waterways to investigating ancient mass extinctions and tropical carbonate systems, St. Lawrence University geology students and faculty recently showcased their research at GSA Connects 2026, presenting work that reflects both the breadth of the discipline and the department's strong culture of undergraduate research. Several students took center stage as lead presenters, sharing projects developed through close collaboration with faculty mentors and fellow researchers.
Students and faculty from St. Lawrence University's Geology Department recently showcased their research at GSA Connects 2026, the Geological Society of America's annual meeting. Representing the department were students, faculty mentors, and research collaborators whose work spanned environmental geology, sedimentology, volcanology, paleoclimate studies, and aquatic ecosystems.
The department's presence at the conference reflected its longstanding commitment to undergraduate research and collaboration between students and faculty. Dr. Judith Nagel-Myers, Dr. Antun Husinec, and Dr. Alexander Stewart were among the faculty representing St. Lawrence, presenting their own scholarship while supporting student researchers as they shared the results of their work with a national audience.
Several students served as lead presenters on collaborative research projects. Bruno Hausse Mocumbi presented Effects of Microplastic Concentration on Clearance Rates in Freshwater Bivalves, a project conducted with Dr. Judith Nagel-Myers, Dr. Amanda Oldacre, and Dr. Kevin Angstadt. The research examines how varying concentrations of microplastics may affect the feeding efficiency of freshwater bivalves and contribute to broader ecological impacts in aquatic systems.
Drawing on fieldwork in Belize, Ashlyn M. Strobel presented Beyond Wave Exposure: Contrasting Sediment Texture, Composition, and Benthic Habitats across Ambergris Caye, Belize. The study was completed with James J. Cary, Peter E. Gressler, Annabella C. Kennedy, Danny Ruano, Samuel J. Sternhagen, and Dr. Antun Husinec, and explored the relationships between coastal processes, sediment characteristics, and marine habitats.
Geo M. DeBrosse shared findings from Field Campaign to Locate and Sample Olivine-Bearing Basaltic Dikes in the Adirondack Highlands and Lowlands: Assessment of the Applicability of Ni-Based Olivine-Melt Thermometry/Hygrometry at the Liquidus. Conducted with Sarah K. Brehm and Dr. Judith Nagel-Myers, the project investigated Adirondack igneous rocks to better understand the conditions under which magmas form and evolve.
Continuing the department's research on freshwater systems, Zakithi Khumalo presented Microplastics in Northern New York Lakes, Rivers and Freshwater Bivalves, a collaborative project with Dr. Judith Nagel-Myers and Dr. Amanda Oldacre that examines the presence and distribution of microplastics in regional aquatic environments.
Faculty members also presented research of their own. Dr. Antun Husinec presented When Carbonate Archives Misbehave: Formation and Paleoclimatic Limitations of Fluvial Oncoids in a Jamaican Tufa System, co-authored with Audrey L. Bowman '24. The research highlights some of the challenges involved in using carbonate deposits to reconstruct past climates and environmental conditions.
Dr. Husinec also co-authored Position of the Late Ordovician Mass Extinction (LOME) Interval in the Williston Basin with Steve Leslie, contributing to ongoing research into one of Earth's major extinction events.
In addition, Dr. Alexander Stewart participated in the 38th Annual Undergraduate Research Exhibition sponsored by Sigma Gamma Epsilon, alongside Richard L. Ford, Lee Potter, Norman S. Levine, Steve J. Baedke, Claire Marshall, and Scott R. Beason.
Beyond the research presentations, GSA Connects provided an opportunity for students to connect with alumni and professionals in the geosciences. A highlight of the week was a happy-hour gathering generously sponsored by Kate Zubin-Stathopoulos '08, which brought together St. Lawrence students, faculty, and alumni for an evening of conversation, networking, and celebration. The event offered current students a chance to learn from alumni working across a range of geoscience careers while strengthening the connections that continue to make the St. Lawrence geology community so supportive and engaged.
Together, these presentations highlight the diverse research taking place within the St. Lawrence Geology Department and the opportunities available to students to engage in meaningful scientific inquiry alongside faculty mentors. Whether conducting fieldwork in the Adirondacks, Belize, and Jamaica or investigating environmental challenges in North Country waterways, St. Lawrence geologists are contributing to scientific conversations that span both local and global scales.
The department congratulates all student and faculty presenters on sharing their work and representing St. Lawrence at GSA Connects 2026 and extends its gratitude to our alumni, who continue to support and encourage the next generation of Laurentian geologists.
