Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) started the Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program in honor of Walter C. Mendenhall (1871-1957), the fifth Director of the USGS. The Program provides postdoctoral Fellows opportunities to work on research with USGS scientists to enhance their scientific stature and credentials and to advance USGS science.

Walter C. Mendenhall

Walter C. Mendenhall joined the USGS in 1894 where he mapped Appalachian coal fields, did pioneering work on the geology of Alaska, and became one of the first groundwater specialists in the Water Resources Branch in 1903.

Biography

Open Opportunities

We advertise individual opportunities throughout the year which can cover a wide variety of research topics. Check out the Research Opportunities page often to see what's available!

View Opportunities

How to Apply

Image: Mendenhall River - Backloop Bridge

Documents that must be included in the application and submission information.

How To Apply

News

September 13, 2023

Make Your Benchmark: Join the Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program

September 1, 2022

Could You Be a Mendenhall Fellow?

November 24, 2021

Volcano Watch — The refilling of Halemaʻumaʻu crater

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Publications

February 7, 2023

When less is more: How increasing the complexity of machine learning strategies for geothermal energy assessments may not lead toward better estimates When less is more: How increasing the complexity of machine learning strategies for geothermal energy assessments may not lead toward better estimates

Previous moderate- and high-temperature geothermal resource assessments of the western United States utilized data-driven methods and expert decisions to estimate resource favorability. Although expert decisions can add confidence to the modeling process by ensuring reasonable models are employed, expert decisions also introduce human and, thereby, model bias. This bias can present a...

Authors

Stanley Paul Mordensky, John Lipor, Jacob DeAngelo, Erick R. Burns, Cary Ruth Lindsey

Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program, Advanced Research Computing (ARC)

January 27, 2023

New maps of conductive heat flow in the Great Basin, USA: Separating conductive and convective influences New maps of conductive heat flow in the Great Basin, USA: Separating conductive and convective influences

Geothermal well data from Southern Methodist University and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) were used to create maps of estimated background conductive heat flow across the Great Basin region of the western United States. These heat flow maps were generated as part of the USGS hydrothermal and Enhanced Geothermal Systems resource assessment process, and the creation process seeks to...

Authors

Jacob DeAngelo, Erick R. Burns, Emilie Gentry, Joseph F. Batir, Cary Ruth Lindsey, Stanley Paul Mordensky

Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program

August 31, 2022

What did they just say? Building a Rosetta stone for geoscience and machine learning What did they just say? Building a Rosetta stone for geoscience and machine learning

Modern advancements in science and engineering are built upon multidisciplinary projects that bring experts together from different fields. Within their respective disciplines, researchers rely on precise terminology for specific ideas, principles, methods, and theories. Hence, the potential for miscommunication is substantial, especially when common words have been adopted by one (or...

Authors

Stanley Paul Mordensky, John Lipor, Erick R. Burns, Cary Ruth Lindsey

Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program

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