Bowling Green, Ky. - Two Western Kentucky University geology majors have been selected for National Science Foundation research programs this summer.

Brandy Woodcock, a junior from Morgantown, will participate in the NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates program through the Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame.

Daniel Hawkins, a junior from Hanson, will participate in a 10-week NSF-REU program through the Center for Space and Planetary Sciences at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

Woodcock will be working with Dr. Susan Sakimoto for eight weeks on a research program focused on modeling geophysical processes in terrestrial volcanism and planetary geology and geophysics. Possible topics include studying lava flow and cooling with analytic and computational fluid dynamics approaches, hydrovolcanism and morphology of landforms and eruption modeling, and topographic expression and emplacement of volcanic and impact landforms. She expects to receive invaluable training and experience using state-of-the-art analytical techniques not currently available at WKU and synthesize her data and that of others from her group.

Hawkins will work with Dr. Glen Mattioli, whose research involves measuring surface deformation in convergent tectonic environments in order to constrain regional kinematic and strain accumulation along plate boundary structures. The probable focus of Hawkins' research will be to identify and catalog characteristic shapes for specific volcano types/tectonic environments (island arcs/continental arcs/continental rifts) on earth and then compare them with volcanic edifices on Mars and Venus using the MOLA and Magellan data sets.

Both Woodcock and Hawkins plan to continue their research at WKU under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Wulff, a Geography and Geology faculty member, and present results at the national Geological Society of America conference in October in Salt Lake City.

"These students epitomize the principles embedded in the university's Quality Enhancement Program," said Geography and Geology Department Head Dr. David Keeling. "The selection of Brandy and Daniel to participate in the REU program is a reflection of the strength of the geology program at Western, of the dedication of the supervising faculty member, and of the type of research experiences enjoyed by undergraduates in the Department of Geography and Geology."

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For information, contact Andrew Wulff at (270) 745-5976.