Dr. Kenneth L. Pierce

Research Interests:

My research is in the field of Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology. I am interested in natural landscapes and the geologic processes responsible for their formation. My research has focused on the following topics (see publications):

• Pleistocene glaciations of the Rocky Mountains and adjacent areas
• Yellowstone caldera unrest
• The track of the Yellowstone hotspot: Volcanism, faulting and uplift
• Quaternary faulting and neotectonics
• Geologic controls on ecology of the greater Yellowstone area
• Wyoming-Idaho loess deposits and climate history over the last 150,000 years

My research is in the field of Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology. I am interested in natural landscapes and the geologic processes responsible for their formation.

I have appreciated serving on the following student committees, and as of December 2004, I am on about 4 additional graduate student thesis committees.

1. Cal Ruleman, 2002, Quaternary tectonic activity within the northern area of the Yellowstone tectonic parabola and associated seismic hazards, southwest Montana
2. Denny Capps, 2004, Glacial geology of the Lake Ashley area, northwest Montana
3. Nicole Davis, 2004, Glacial lake Musselshell, central Montana
4. Scott Patterson-2006, Sedimentology and geomorphology of Quaternary alluvial fans, Lost River Range, Idaho
5. Karen Jacobs-2007, Fire and vegetation history of the last 2000 years, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
6. Mariana Huerta-2007, Postglacial vegetation, fire, and climate history of Blacktail Pond, northern Yellowstone national Park, Wyoming
7. Falene Petrick-2008, The Centennial fault scarp, southwest Montana and adjacent Idaho
8. Stephanie Mumma-1010 A 20,000-year history of vegetation and Climate form Lower Red Rock Lake, Centennial Valley, southwestern Montana, USA

Current PhD students and their topics are:

1. Teresa Krause- Late glacial vegetation development of the northern Yellowstone area
2. Virginia Iglesias, Holocene climate-vegetation-fire linkages along the forest-steppe ecotone in northern Patagonia