Kathleen Scheiderich
Kathleen Scheiderich is a Research Chemist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
My research interests are in developing new isotope methods and exploring the application of such systems; generally I work on aqueous and sediment/sedimentary rock samples (e.g., cores and black shales, respectively), but have also analysed metal isotopes in meteorites, experimentally-derived mineral products, igneous rocks, and cell-cultures. Example applications of environmental work that is relevant to USGS mission areas includes the use of Fe, Zn, and Ni isotopes as contaminant tracers, for example in acid mine drainage. Chromium isotopes and speciation, and molybdenum isotopes, are also areas of ongoing interest, particularly as applied to estuarine systems with complex redox processes are concerned. I have been working for the past year to develop and implement measurement of Cerium isotopes, both the stable and radiogenic components. This rare-earth element has a low-temperature redox change and may display isotope fractionation that will provide information useful to interpreting REE enrichment and behaviour in unconventional REE deposits, to stability of HREE-enriched carbonatites, and to paleoredox studies. as I have many years of experience operating both Nu Plasma and Neptune multi-collector ICP-MS machines, as well as Triton Thermal Ionization MS, and have spent much of my time as a student and postdoc involved in method improvement/development/implementation, so I have a lot of experience with the fundamentals of ion-exchange chromatography and element separation methods.
2014-2015: Central Mineral and Energy Resources Science Center, USGS, Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow, Cerium isotope systematics as insights towards control on low-temerpature rare-earth element enrichment and deposition.
2011-2013: CSIRO Land and Water, Contaminant Chemistry and Ecotoxicology program: Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Non-traditional stable isotopes as tracers of environmental processes and contamination-- Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn isotopes).
2010-2011: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Isotope Lab: Postdoctoral Fellow (Cr isotopes in the Saanich Inlet and Arctic Ocean).
2004-2010: University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Ph.D., Geology. Dr. R.J. Walker and Dr. G. Helz, Advisors.
Dissertation: Molybdenum isotope systematics in natural and experimental settings.
2001-2004: University of Delaware, Lewes, DE
M.S., Marine Studies. Dr. K. Billups, Advisor.
Thesis: Paired Mg/Ca and oxygen isotopes of Neogene foraminifera: Pacific and Indian Ocean tropic-subtropic paleoceanography and paleoclimate.
1996-2000: University of Rochester, Rochester NY
B.S., Biology-Geology; Minor, German