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Grant Colip

Grant Colip is a Physical Scientist with the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center (FBGC) at the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia.

I am a geologist at the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center in Reston, Virginia, where I work on the USGS Quaternary Geologic Mapping of the Glaciated Regions Project with Dr. Brandon Graham and other USGS scientists. Our research focuses on applying methods in stratigraphy, sedimentology, chronology, and geophysics to conduct Quaternary geologic mapping and associated research projects. These mapping and research efforts aim to address societally relevant issues and inform decisions surrounding aggregate resources and infrastructure for national defense. I also manage the Bascom Laser Diffraction Sedimentology Laboratory in Reston, which includes pXRF, microscopy, sieving, and laser diffraction particle size analysis instrumentation for use in a wide variety of geologic mapping and research applications. For more information, please visit the Laser Diffraction Lab website.

I joined the U.S. Geological Survey in 2018 during my time at James Madison University as an undergraduate Pathways student trainee, and became a full-time researcher in 2023 after completing my master's degree at North Carolina State University.

Employment

2018 - present: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Reston, Virginia.

  • Quaternary Geologic Mapping of the Glaciated Regions Project (2024-present)
  • Glaciated Regions Geologic Mapping Project (2022 - 2024)
  • Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Project (2019 - 2022)
  • Geology of the Appalachian and Illinois Basins (2018 - 2019)

2020 - 2023: Graduate Research / Teaching Assistant, North Carolina State University, Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina.

  • Master's Thesis: "Interpreting seismic reflection imagery to reconstruct late Quaternary earthquake history at Lake Crescent, Washington, USA."  Advisors: Dr. Elana Leithold & Dr. Karl Wegmann

2017 - 2019: Undergraduate Laboratory Assistant, James Madison University, Department of Geology & Environmental Science, Harrisonburg, Virginia.

  • Honors Thesis: "Grain size and vegetation as controlling variables for stream channel morphology."  Advisor: Dr. L Scott Eaton
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