Maureen Feineman, associate research professor of geosciences at Penn State, will give a public talk, “A Critical Legacy: Rare Earth Elements in Waste Products from Historical Mining and Smelting in PA,”.
Maureen Feineman, associate research professor of geosciences at Penn State, will give a public talk, “A Critical Legacy: Rare Earth Elements in Waste Products from Historical Mining and Smelting in PA,”.
As a Ph.D. Candidate at Penn State, working with Prof. Donald Fisher, with current research focusing on the Sanbagawa Metamorphic Belt, Japan. This work combines geological field observations with numerical modeling and petrological methods to better understand controls on the subduction interface. Originally from Poland, I have also lived in Germany, England, and Scotland before coming to Pennsylvania. I completed my undergraduate degree in Geology at the University of St Andrews, Scotland.
I am pursuing my PhD in Geosciences at The Pennsylvania State University. As an interdisciplinary engineer, my research interests include studying the impacts of and reactions to climate change, as well as the ethical use and allocation of resources. Outside of research, I enjoy arts and crafts, baking, and watching a good show.
Before joining the Geosciences department, I earned a Master of Science in Energy and Mineral Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Systems Engineering with honors, and a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy from Penn State. I also completed an undergraduate minor in Watersheds and Water Resources.
Anthony Delgadillo Salas de la Tierra is a graduate student in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State University. He is a paleoecologist with broad interests in paleoclimate, vegetation histories, human–environment interactions, and the role of fire in shaping ecosystems. His current research focuses on tropical Africa, where he examines past ecological change and land use practices to better understand long-term climate–human dynamics.
Anthony is a proud first-generation college graduate and TRIO alum, having been supported by the Upward Bound Math and Science Program, Student Support Services, and the McNair Scholars Program. He earned his B.S. in Environmental Science from California Lutheran University in 2025, where he researched paleoenvironmental records from coastal California and El Salvador to reconstruct ecological and fire histories. As a McNair Scholar and participant in Penn State’s Climate Science REU, he expanded his training by integrating weather station data with machine learning approaches to explore climate-related patterns.
In addition to research, Anthony has trained students in the lab, led outreach programs, and developed resources to guide undergraduates through academic and personal transitions. His passion for both research and mentorship reflects his broader goal of advancing scientific understanding while fostering the next generation of environmental scientists. Outside of academics, Anthony enjoys creative writing, playing Roblox, occasional doomscrolling, and discovering new spots in town.
Dr. Jiawei Da is a postdoctoral scholar in Dr. Max Lloyd's group. He is broadly interested in deciphering surface processes using stable isotope compositions of various terrestrial materials. Here at Penn State, he is using clumped isotopologues to discriminate between abiotic and biogenic methyl groups, with applications to identify potential biosignatures in extraterrestrial materials. His previous research focuses on paleoclimate reconstructions using stable isotopes of soil carbonates from East Asia.
I am a Ph.D. student in Coastal Geomorphology at Penn State, working under the supervision of Dr. Anastasia Piliouras. I completed my undergraduate degree in Engineering Physics with a specialization in Earth and Ocean Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. My current research focuses on modeling global delta networks using data from NASA's SWOT mission.
I am from Pittsburgh. I have a cat and two dogs. I love Tottenham Hotspur and the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Nuggets.