University freshman Kristen Fauria’s passion for geology developed as a sixth-grader visiting Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii. She began asking questions relating to science and nature and longed for answers. Today, these questions have led her to an internship on the island of Dominica, an understudied and potentially active and dangerous volcanic area in the eastern Caribbean.
Fauria, a Eugene native, leaves today to study at the University of Arkansas before heading to Dominica in a week with a group of professors and students selected for the highly competitive National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program.
“I always ask questions and have lots of interests on why things are the way they are within social science and culture, but the most important (questions) to me are why mountains are big and gravity is the way it is,” Fauria said.
Fauria smiles widely from behind her long hair while talking about her passion for nature. Her friend, University freshman Emma Kallaway, describes the outdoors as Fauria’s playground.
“I really learned how to love the outdoors from Kristen this year; she always finds so much beauty,” Kallaway said.
The pair, who go camping, hiking and running together, took a long walk around Eugene recently and Kallaway said Fauria stopped at one point to explain the layers of a rock, although not in a lecturing way, but in an “excited to know way,” she said.
“She loves to explore and is very passionate about knowing more,” Kallaway said.
While studying geology and physics this year, Fauria said she knew she wanted to pursue an internship with REU, but she didn’t expect to be selected until at least summer of 2008.
“I thought they sent the e-mail to me on accident. I was convinced they sent it to the wrong person,” Fauria said.
Fauria said what stands out about this program is working in the field as well as in the lab. Fauria said the majority of the available geology internships only allow students to analyze research already taken.
“On top of being the location for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ it’s an island that has eight volcanoes and is on a subduction zone,” Fauria said of the area she will study.
During the month of research-gathering in Dominica, Fauria and other students will go out in small groups with professors and choose to concentrate on either volcanic or tectonic research.
“It’s really one of the most underdeveloped islands of the Caribbean. Nearly 80 percent is still rainforest,” Fauria said. “It’s so poorly understood. The volcanoes are really understudied and they could pose a possible danger to the population.”
Fauria said there is no way to predict whether the volcanoes are going to erupt, but any research they can gather will help keep the population safer by having a greater understanding about the region.
According to the Seismic Research Unit at the University of the West Indies, there are 19 live volcanoes in the Eastern Caribbean, meaning they’re likely to erupt.
Additionally, two volcanic eruptions in the Eastern Caribbean have made the surrounding areas completely uninhabitable; one erupted in 1902 and another in 1997, according to the Web site.
Fauria said she expects to learn a lot while working in the field and is excited to become a better scientist and researcher.
On July 5, Fauria and other students will return to their host schools, where they will analyze the data collected and write a paper or presentation on their findings. Fauria will return from Arkansas at the end of July.
“I think she would be a really good person to work with because she’s always rearing to go,” Kallaway said, adding the two go circuit training twice a week at 6:30 a.m. Fauria always has a smile on her face and is excited for the workout, she said.
In preparation for the trip Fauria has been taking her regular geology and science classes in addition to a sitting in on a petrology course and attending the class’ field trips. Petrology focuses on the study of rocks and how they form. Fauria also described herself as being the “question kid” in the geology department lately.
Her Petrology GTF, Daniele McKay, said Fauria’s constant questioning reveals how eager she is to learn about the science.
“At a certain level it’s skill and understanding the science and what’s going on and studying the minute details, but I think what drives that in scientific questioning is passion,” McKay said.
Fauria said her passion is what motivates her as well.
“It’s really motivating to be pushed to your intellectual and physical extremes and know you will have to do more than you ever had before,” she said.
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