Sam A Johnstone
(he/him)Sam uses geologic mapping and computational methods to characterize and understand earth’s history.
Sam’s primary work is part of the National Geologic Synthesis project, where he works to develop geoinformatics-inspired solutions to integrating and synthesizing geologic data characterizing the nation’s geology. In this work Sam is interested in developing databases and software tools that can facilitate wide-ranging geologic assessments and studies of national scope. Sam is also engaged in efforts to conduct geologic mapping focused on Quaternary deposits (including machine-learning aided mapping of these deposits) and in developing statistical and simulation models to explore geochronology and topographic data.
Prior to starting at the USGS, Sam obtained his PhD from Stanford University in 2016. There he studied how sediment transport and erosion processes shaped hillslopes and river networks. In 2011 Sam obtained his MSc from UC Santa Cruz, where he had also obtained my BS a few years earlier. It was at UC Santa Cruz that Sam first got excited about geologic mapping and where he developed an interest in programming and using low temperature thermochronology to study histories of faulting.
