2022-present Assistant Professor, West Texas A&M University 2020-2022 Visiting Assistant Professor, Oberlin College
Education
PhD, 2020, Geosciences, University of Connecticut Dissertation: Detrital geothermochronology, geochemistry, and subsidence analysis of tectonics and sedimentation in the Magallanes-Austral Basin, Patagonian Andes Advisor: Julie C. Fosdick MS, 2015, Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University Thesis: Investigation of fold growth in North Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand Advisor: Donald M. Fisher BS, 2013, Geosciences, University of Connecticut
Publications
VanderLeest, R.A., Fosdick, J.C., Malkowski, M.A., Romans, B.W., Ghiglione, M.C., Schwartz, T.M., Sickmann, Z.T., 2022, Along-strike changes in tectonic subsidence and basin uplift in the Rocas-Verdes and Magallanes-Austral Basins (48-54S), Patagonia Andes: Tectonics, doi: 10.1029/2021TC006891
VanderLeest, R.A., Fosdick, J.C., Leonard, J.S., and Morgan, L.E., 2020, Detrital record of the Late Oligocene – Early Miocene mafic volcanic arc in the Southern Patagonian Andes (~51°S) from single-clast geochronology and trace element geochemistry: Journal of Geodynamics, 101751, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jog.2020.101751
Fosdick, J.C., VanderLeest, R.A., Bostelmann T., J.E., Leonard, J.S., Ugalde, R., Oyarzún, J.L., Griffin, M., 2020, Revised timing of Cenozoic Atlantic incursions and changing hinterland sediment sources during southern Patagonian orogenesis: Lithosphere.
Leonard, J.S., Fosdick, J.C., and VanderLeest, R.A., 2020, Erosional and tectonic evolution of a retroarc orogenic wedge as revealed by sedimentary provenance: Case of the Oligocene – Miocene Patagonian Andes: Frontiers in Earth Sciences, doi: 10.3389/feart.2019.00353.
VanderLeest, R.A., Oakley, D.O.S, Fisher, D.M., and Gardner, T.W., 2017, Growth and seismic hazard of the Montserrat Anticline in the North Canterbury fold and thrust belt, South Island, New Zealand: Journal of Structural Geology 107, 1-14, doi: 10.1016/j.jsg.2017.06.003.
Steinen, R., Charney, A., Bogart, J., VanderLeest, R., 2017, Preliminary Bedrock Geologic Map of the Southern Half of the Wallingford 7.5’ Quadrangle, Connecticut, CT Geological Survey, DEEP Final Technical Report and Map.
Oakley, D.O.S., Kaufman, D.S., Fisher, D.M., Gardner, T.W., and VanderLeest, R.A., 2017, Quaternary marine terrace chronology, North Canterbury, New Zealand using Amino Acid Racemization and Infrared Stimulated Luminescence: Quaternary Research 87, 151-167, doi: 10.1017/qua.2016.9.
Abstracts *student author
*Needham, D.L., *Creacy, B.E., Holland, M.E., Thacker, J.O., Miller, P., VanderLeest, R.A., Structural mapping of the Upper Nutria Quadrangle, Western Zuni Mountains, New Mexico: Implications for Groundwater Flow, Poster, 2022 GSA Annual Meeting, Denver, 9-12 Oct.
*Barth, S.T., *Bengston, E.I., *Bronfman, A.S.G., *Brown, S.E., VanderLeest, R.A., Sediment provenance of the Magallanes-Austral Basin ~51°S using kernel density estimates from detrital zircon U-Pb ages and sandstone composition to analyze tectonics and erosional activity, Poster, 2021 AGU Fall Meeting, New Orleans, 13-17 Dec.
VanderLeest, R.A., Fosdick, J.C., Schwartz, T.S., Hyland, E.G., Mastalerz, M., Investigating the thermal effects of Cordilleran processes on a retroarc foreland basin using thermochronometry, vitrinite reflectance, and carbonate clumped isotopes, Talk, 2021, Thermo2021, Santa Fe, NM, USA 12-17 Sept.
VanderLeest, R.A., Fosdick, J.C., Schwartz, T.M., Hyland, E.G., and Mastalerz, M., Investigating the thermal effects of Cordilleran processes on a retroarc foreland basin using thermochronometry, vitrinite reflectance, and carbonate clumped isotopes, Abstract, 2020 Fall Meeting AGU, virtual, 1-17 Dec.
Stevens Goddard, A.L., Fosdick, J.C., Calderón, M., , Ghiglione, M., Romans, B.W., VanderLeest, R.A., Rapid Eocene Exhumation in the Southern Patagonian Andes and Implications for Regional Tectonics, Abstract, 2020 Fall Meeting AGU, virtual, 1-17 Dec.
VanderLeest, R.A., Fosdick, J.C., Schwartz, T., and Malkowski, M.A., Ali, R., Along-strike changes in foreland basin responses to tectonics and eustasy in the Magallanes-Austral Basin, Patagonia revealed from basin modeling and geothermochronology, Abstract, 2019 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, 9-13 Dec.
Chang, Q., Hren, M.T., Brandon, M.T., Fosdick, J.C., VanderLeest, R.A., Bostelmann, J.E., Ugalde, R., Steady topography of Patagonian Andes through Cenozoic reconstructed by archives of precipitation hydrogen isotope composition, Abstract, 2019 Fall Meet, AGU, San Francisco, 9-13 Dec.
VanderLeest, R.A., Fosdick, J.C., Leonard, J.S., & Morgan, L., Early Miocene volcanism between slab windows revealed from detrital 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and geochemistry of the Magallanes Basin 50-52°S, Abstract, 2019 Goldschmidt, Barcelona, Spain, 18-23 Aug.
VanderLeest, R.A., Fosdick, J.C., Leonard, J.S., & Morgan, L., Multi-chronometers and trace element geochemistry for mafic sedimentary provenance of the Magallanes Basin 50-52°S to elucidate tectonic history of the Patagonian Andes, Abstract T41D-340, 2018 Fall Meeting, AGU, Washington, D.C., 10-14 Dec.
Chang, Q., Hren, M.T., Brandon, M.T., Fosdick, J.C., VanderLeest, R.A., Bostelmann, J.E., & Ugalde, R., Eocene to Miocene topographic evolution of the southern Patagonian Andes recorded by leaf-wax hydrogen isotopes, Abstract T51F-0230, 2018 Fall Meeting, AGU Washington, D.C., 10-14 Dec.
Oakley, D.O., Fisher, D.M., Gardner, T., VanderLeest, R.A., Barnes, P., & Ghisetti, F., Joint modeling of fault related-fold kinematics and marine terrace uplift to estimate active fault slip rates in North Canterbury, New Zealand, Abstract EP54A-05, 2018 Fall Meeting, AGU, Washington, D.C., 10-14 Dec.
VanderLeest, R.A., Fosdick, J.C., & Chang, Q., Provenance record of renewed mafic sediment contribution to the Magallanes Basin 50-52°S: Hinterland thrusting or plateau magmatism?, Abstract 274264, 2017 Fall Meeting, AGU, New Orleans, LA, 11-15 Dec.
Steinen, R., Charney, A., Bogart, J., VanderLeest, R., & Glairon, S., 2017, A Hypothesis for the disappearance of the Talcott Basalt in the vicinity of Wallingford, CT, Abstract 290397, 2017 Northeastern Annual Section Meeting, GSA, Pittsburg, PA, USA, 19-21 Mar.
VanderLeest, R., Oakley, D., Fisher, D., & Gardner, T., Investigation of fold growth in North Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, Abstract 265866, 2015 Annual Meeting, GSA, Baltimore, MD, USA, 1-4 Nov.
VanderLeest, R., Oakley, D., Fisher, D., & Gardner, T., Modeling the evolution of the Montserrat Anticline and Happy Valley Fault in the North Canterbury region on the South Island of New Zealand, Abstract 363, 2014 Annual Meeting, GSA, Vancouver, Canada, 19-22 Oct.
VanderLeest, R., Byrne, T., & Rau, R-J, Analyzing strain to create a regional deformation model of Northern Taiwan, Abstract ID 1499306, 2012 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 3-7 Dec.
Awards and Honors
Fall 2021, Oberlin Grant in Aid Spring 2021, Keck Summer Undergraduate Research Project Spring 2021, Oberlin Powers Travel Grant Fall 2020, Oberlin Grant in Aid Winter 2020, Provost and Vice Provost Letter of Teaching Excellence Winter 2019, Provost and Vice Provost Letter of Teaching Excellence 2019, UConn Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship 2019, UConn Doctoral Student Travel Fellowship 2019, SEPM Student Research Grant Summer 2019 UConn Pre-Doctoral Fellowship 2018, Semi-Finalist Fulbright U.S. Student Program (to Chile) 2018, AAPG Grants-in-Aid: Paul Danheim Nelson Grant 2018, SEPM Student Research Grant 2017, GSA Graduate Student Research Grant 2014, Kyrnine Travel Grant, Penn State 2014, GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division Field Trip Grant 2014, GSA Graduate Student Research Grant
Research Experience
2016-2020, Doctoral Research at UConn, Geosciences Research Focus: Sediment routing and provenance during Cenozoic growth of the Patagonian Andes and the effects of tectonic burial, orogenic fluid flow, and magmatism on foreland basin thermal evolution
Measured and analyzed stratigraphic sequences to collect paleoenvironment data
Collected and interpreted U-Pb and (U-Th)/He detrital zircon dates to assess sediment routing during growth of the Patagonian Andes
Modeled basin subsidence and thermal histories using geothermochronology and vitrinite reflectance to examine fluid flow and post depositional histories
2013-2015, Masters Research at Penn State, Geosciences Research Focus: Earthquake recurrence interval assessment from marine terraces and fold growth modeling in North Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand
Conducted field investigation measuring structural orientations of fold and fault surfaces
Calculated uplift rates from marine terraces using GPS surveys and AAR dating results
Implemented fault bend fold propagation model to assess earthquake recurrence intervals
Summer 2014, Schlumberger Internship at Global Unconventional Hub, Denver, CO Research Focus: Geologic analysis of the Mowry Formation, Powder River Basin, WY
Correlated well logs across area of interest using Petrel
Created 3D models in Petrel to determine thickness, structure, porosity, and water saturation to evaluate the Mowry Formation as an economic target
Summer 2013, International Research Internship at Academia Sinica, Geosciences, Taipei, Taiwan Research Focus: Terrace Classificationand uplift rates of northern Taiwan
Investigated platforms along the northeastern coast of Taiwan using LIDAR and aerial photos in ArcGIS to map marine terraces
Conducted field survey of mapped marine terraces to assess digital mapping
Correlated marine terraces with sea level curve to evaluate uplift rates of northeastern Taiwan
Service and Outreach Activities
2021, URGE Pod participant 2021, 2019, Manuscript Reviewer, Geology and Journal of the Geological Society of London 2020, Activity Leader, CT Environmental Action Day 2019, Volunteer, CT Science Olympiads for Geologic Mapping 2019, Reviewer, Journal of the Geological Society of London 2016-2019, Volunteer, UConn Earth Science Fair 2017, President, Geosciences Graduate Group, UCONN 2016, 2020, Trailblazer, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, CT Geological Survey