M.S. Geology, advised by Dr. Neal Iverson, May 2020
GIS Certificate, anticipated fall 2020
Carleton College, Northfield, MN
B.A. Geology, June 2017
Professional Experience
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Assist with twice-annual glacier monitoring surveys to record mass balance on two index glaciers.
Contribute to an NPS/NSF Malaspina Glacier research project, which includes fieldwork, data analysis, figure and map preparation, professional presentations, and public outreach talks.
Prepare and edit digital elevation models of park terrain using ArcGIS desktop for a visitor display.
Write resource briefs to synthesize research for the public and project reports for collaborators.
Compile long-term data into consistent formats to be archived in a national database.
Assemble surficial geology data into a cohesive digital map of the park.
Performed routine data collection and maintenance at tributary stations for a paired watershed monitoring project that has been maintained for over 50 years.
Collected and documented soil, water, and vegetation samples.
Installed and retrieved data from HOBOware data loggers, ISCO water samplers, and Campbell Scientific instruments at meteorological towers.
Independently developed and implemented 7 month-long lab experiments.
Processed and interpreted 7 experimental data sets using MATLAB and
Microsoft Excel.
Wrote M.S. thesis and presented several award-winning professional poster
and oral presentations.
Coauthored a research article, in review, and published annotated data in
a public online repository.
Brainstormed, proofread, and co-authored blog posts for the public with a
PolarTrec educator.
Conducted 3 cumulative weeks of strenuous fieldwork and provided
logistical support in the Canadian Rockies and Swiss Alps.
Assisted with remote sensing surveys, collected GPS-tagged data, and
displayed the data in ArcGIS.
Assembled written lab tutorials to document standard operating procedure
for common lab activities.
Mentored an undergraduate student worker and guided graduate students new
to working in our lab.
Handled clerical duties like managing reimbursements following strict
university guidelines.
Navigated working from home and coordinated a virtual MS defense during
COVID-19 quarantine.
Assisted with three introduction to geology classes in weekly labs, field
trips, and office hours.
Prompted interpretation of local outcrops and mentored illustrations of
stratigraphic columns, field sketches, and interpretation of geologic
maps.
Mentored end of term research projects.
Prepared equipment and transportation for fieldtrips.
Reunion Shuttle Driver (June 2015, June 2017): Greeted and toured
visiting alumni through campus during Carleton’s annual reunion weekend.
Geology/Chemistry Administrative Office Assistant (January 2017 –
June 2017): Designed posters to promote weekly seminars and assisted with
miscellaneous office tasks.
Dining Board Student-at-Large (September 2015 – June 2017):
Attended bi-weekly dining board meetings to represent the student body in
discussions about Carleton’s dining program.
Food Recovery Network Volunteer (September 2016 – June 2017):
Recovered up to 50 lbs of leftover food from dining hall meals to be
donated to local organizations.
Telecom Office Student Manager (September 2014 – June 2016):
Answered and directed phone calls to Carleton’s main line, trained
employees, coordinated shifts, and assisted with office work.
Registrar’s Office Front Desk Attendant (April 2016 – June 2016):
Attended the front desk, accepted and administered forms, and mailed
requested transcripts.
Outdoor Club Trip Leader (May 2014 – September 2016): Organized and
lead 3 weekend caving trips for Carleton students in Southern Minnesota.
Student Research Assistant (June 2015 – August 2015): Located
basalt outcrops in Oregon from GPS data and collected samples for
geochemical analysis.
Attended seminars on the NASA Ames campus and participated in office
meetings and events.
Edited web and print outreach materials and updated database of
astrobiology graduate students.
Provided high-energy customer service to thousands of daily visitors at
the MN State Fair.
Inventoried over 100 honey products and managed the daily schedules of 8
employees.
Camped on-site to set traps, conduct behavioral observations, and assist
with handling animals in annual weeklong field studies on a remote
population of American pikas.
Assisted with a plant survey intended to track vegetation patterns over
time.
Identified and removed invasive plants (parsnip, burdock, and sweet
clover) as part of eradication efforts in native tallgrass prairies, when
visiting Minnesota.
Assisted with miscellaneous manual farm labor.
Developed camp curriculums and taught four weeklong programs per year.
Supervised the work of other ballet teachers and assistants.
Selected and purchased all supplies for classes, games and crafts within a
tight budget.
Leadership Experience
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Facilitated meetings and manage all ongoing projects related to The
Traveling School alumnae.
Designed and created an alumnae networking website and database that I
continue to manage.
Managed online document storage, master schedule, member database, and
archives.
Elected to represent the geology graduate students and preside over
meetings.
Organized and promoted multiple department events, outreach activities,
and club projects.
Acted as liaison between club members and the department, other clubs, and
the public.
Created online archives for the records of all club activity and advised
incoming officers.
Designed content and led a portion of a fieldtrip at Findelen Glacier
above Zermatt, Switzerland.
Traveled with a group of 20 students for one week to study the formation
of the Swiss Alps.
Traveled with large groups of Carleton students on multi-day fieldtrips
that focused on geologic highlights throughout the Midwest.
Visited Northern Minnesota, the Missouri Ozarks, the Badlands, the Black
Hills and Baraboo, WI.
Awards and Recognition
Outstanding Contributions Award, Iowa State University Geol Dept,
May 2020
Best Graduate Student Seminar Talk Runner-Up, Iowa State University
Geol Dept, May 2020
Best Graduate Student Seminar Talk Runner-Up, Iowa State University
Geol Dept, May 2019
First Place Graduate Student Poster Presentation, GSA North-Central
Meeting, April 2018
Distinction in Senior Comprehensive Exercise, Carleton College,
June 2017
Distinction in the Geology Major, Carleton College, June 2017
Duncan Stewart Fellowship, Carleton College, June 2017
Nominated for Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society, Carleton
College, June 2017
Publications and Professional Presentations
Thompson, A. C., Iverson, N. R., Zoet, L. K., 2020, Controls on
subglacial rock frictiom: experiments with debris in temperate ice. In
review for the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface.
Thompson, A. C., 2020, An experimental study of debris-bed friction
during glacier sliding [M.Sc. thesis]: Iowa State University, 67 p.
pdf
Thompson, A. C., Iverson, N. R., Zoet, L. K., An experimental study
of subglacial debris-bed friction during basal slip. Oral presentation at:
American Geophysical Society Meeting; 2019 Dec 13; San Francisco, CA.
abstract
Thompson, A. C., Iverson, N. R., Zoet, L. K., An experimental study
of debris-bed friction during basal slip. Oral presentation at:
International Glaciological Society Symposium on Glacial Erosion and
Sedimentation; 2019 May 12; Madison, WI.
abstract
Thompson, A. C., Iverson, N. R., Zoet, L. K., A relationship
between sliding speed and effective pressure based on ovservations of
deglaciated bedrock. Poster session presented at: Geological Society of
America North-Central Section Meeting; 2018 April 17; Ames, IA.abstract
Thompson, A. C., 2017, Vesicle distribution in glaciovolcanic
pillow lava from Undirhlidar, southwest Iceland: Keck Geology Consortium
Short Contributions, v. 30. pdf
Thompson, A. C., 2017, Vesicle distribution in glaciovolcanic
pillow lava from Undirhlidar, southwest Iceland [B.A. thesis]: Carleton
College, 39 p. pdf
Thompson, A. C., Orden, M., Lembo, C., Wallace, C., Kumpf, B.,
Heineman, R., Engen, C., Edwards, B. R., Pollock, M., and Kochtitzky, W.,
Physical Characteristics of Glaciovolcanic Pillow Lavas from Undirhlidar,
SW Iceland. Poster session presented at: Geological Society of America;
2016 Sept 26; Denver, CO.
abstract
Wallace, C., Kumpf, B., Heineman, R., Lembo, C., Orden, M.,
Thompson, A. C., Engen, C., Kochtitzky, W., Pollock, M., Edwards.,
B. R., and Hiatt, A. Geochemical Constraints on the Magmatic System and
Eruptive Environment of a Glaciovolcanic Tindar Ridge from Undirhlíðar, SW
Iceland. Poster session presented at: Geological Society of America; 2016
Sept 26; Denver, CO.
abstract
Heineman, R., Lembo, C., Engen, C., Kochtitzky, W., Wallace, C., Orden,
M., Thompson, A. C., Kumpf, B., Edwards, B. R., and Pollock, M. New
Insights on the Formation of Glaciovolcanic Tindar Ridges from Detailed
mapping of Undirhlidar Ridge, SW Iceland. Poster session presented at:
Geological Society of America; 2016 Sept 26; Denver, CO.
abstract
Additional Skills
Advanced proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word,
PowerPoint).
Advanced proficiency with Adobe Illustrator.
Advanced proficiency with programming in MATLAB.
Intermediate proficiency with ArcGIS 10.x.
Intermediate proficiency with web design using HTML, CSS, JavaScript,
GitHub and Google Sites.
Experienced with Python, R, Google Earth, and SketchUp.
Advanced proficiency in technical writing and public speaking.
Advanced proficiency navigating using GPS, compass, aerial photos, and
topographic maps.