Spotlight on Alumni

Energy Sector

Dr. Alissa A. Henza

Alissa A. Henza is a structural geologist and petroleum exploration geoscientist. She earned a BS, Cum Laude in Science of Earth Systems from Cornell University in 2003. She received a MSc (2006) and a PhD (2009) from Rutgers University. For her dissertation, Alissa worked with Drs. Martha Withjack and Roy Schlische on physical modeling of multiphase extensional systems, investigating the role that a pre-existing fault fabric has on the development of new normal faults. This work, and the... Dr. Alissa A. Henza

Environmental

Monica Norton Mouallem

Monica Norton Mouallem graduated from Rutgers University in May 2019 with a Masters in Science degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences. Her research focused on hydrogeology under the supervision of her advisor, Dr. Gail Ashley, and committee members, Dr. Ying Fan Reinfelder, and Dr. Christopher Lepre. Her thesis focused on better understanding modern and ancient hydrogeologic features, namely springs and wetlands. Her research involved two separate, but connected, parts: developing a... Monica Norton Mouallem

Research & Academics

Dr. Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce

Cynthia M. Liutkus-Pierce is a sedimentologist and paleoenvironmental scientist. She earned a BA in Geology from Bucknell University, and received a MSc (2000) and PhD (2005) in Geological Sciences from Rutgers University, supervised by Gail M. Ashley (MSc) and Jim Wright (PhD). She is currently a Full Professor in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Appalachian State University in the mountains of western NC. From 2018-2021 she served as the Director of the... Dr. Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce

Alumni Updates

Eric Vowinkle Obituary

Eric F. Vowinkel, 70, of Metuchen, died on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at RWJUH in New Brunswick. Born in Phillipsburg, he was raised in Belvidere in his earlier childhood before moving with his family to Bound Brook, where his heart remained throughout his life. He moved to Metuchen in 1980. Eric...
Paul Schuster Obituary

Paul Schuster, 59, passed away peacefully in his sleep during the night of October 31st in his home in Westminster, Colorado. Paul was born in Camden, NJ on September 8th, 1963. He lived a robust and adventurous life in his 59 years on this planet. After receiving his degree from Rutgers...
Prof. Kaminski elected as a Fellow of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences

At a festive meeting celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Polish Academy of Arts & Sciences in held in Kraków, Poland on October 18th, Rutgers Geology graduate Prof. Michael A Kaminski (’79) was awarded his membership diploma to the Polish Academy. Prof. Mike is a Micropaleontologist with over 250...
Professor Emily Beverly received the 2023 James L. Wilson early career award for excellence in...

Emily received her MS from Rutgers (2012) and a PhD from Baylor (2015). She did post-doctoral research at Georgia State Univ. (2016-17) and Univ. of Michigan (2017-2018) collaborating with Naomi Levin and Ben Passey. Emily’s research is cutting edge working at the interface of sedimentology, soil...
EPS Alum Durcanin is runner up for Matson Memorial Award

Rutgers’ graduate, Michael Durcanin (BS, 2006; MS, 2009), received news that his presentation at the 2017 AAPG Conference was the runner-up for the George C. Matson Memorial Award. A panel of judges/experts reviewed over 1000 presentations before selecting Mike’s talk as one of the conference’s top...