BRETT CARR

I am a Research Scientist in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. I have active research projects investigating the emplacement processes for lava flows and lava domes using UAS, remote sensing, and numerical modeling. As the lab manager for the Hamilton research group, I manage and facilitate use of a fleet of UAS and other equipment for research in analog environments for planetary surfaces.

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I was previously a Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University in New York. At HVO, I led the photogrammetric processing of data collected during recent eruptions at Kīlauea to investigate the development of a new lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu crater. At LDEO, I developed methods to use UAS and computational methods to assess lava dome stability and classify volcanic deposits. I have also worked as a student contractor for the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, AZ, where I developed photogrammetry applications for monitoring thermal features in Yellowstone National Park. I previously worked as a seasonal geologist in Yellowstone where I developed techniques for quantifying thermal feature activity using airborne thermal images and field mapping.

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I received my PhD in 2016 from Arizona State University, where I completed my dissertation on "Transitions in ruption Style at Silicic Volcanoes" under Dr. Amanda Clarke. I received my MS in 2008 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on "Geodetic Measurements and Numerical Models of Rifting in Northern Iceland for 1993-1999". I earned a BA from Dartmouth College in 2007, where I completed an honors thesis on "Mobility of Experimental Gravity Surges Over Ridge-like Obstacles".

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Originally from Oklahoma, I developed an interest in volcanology when I did a project for my Latin class on the destruction of Pompeii during the A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. I was drawn to the field by the opportunity to travel the world to witness eruptions and conduct field work to better understand the activity I observed. I have since conducted field campaigns in Indonesia, Italy, Iceland, Hawaii, Ecuador, and Guatemala.

 

In my free time, I enjoy hiking, skiing, and traveling with my family. I also play ultimate frisbee and have competed at the masters world championships and coached at the collegiate and professional levels.