faculty research

Dr. Scott Marshall, professor in Appalachian State University's Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

Dr. Scott Marshall explains recent spike in Western North Carolina earthquakes
Jul 11, 2024

Western North Carolina felt three earthquakes in 24 hours in June, and one Appalachian State University professor said a recently discovered faul...

Dr. Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce, professor and chair in Appalachian State University's Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences and a National Geographic Explorer

Dr. Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce featured in documentary about ancient footprints in Tanzania
Jun 14, 2024

BOONE, N.C. — Research directed by Dr. Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce, professor and chair in Appalachian State University's Department of Geological a...

Dr. William Armstrong, assistant professor in Appalachian State University's Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, conducts fieldwork on the Athabasca Glacier in Alberta, Canada in 2022. Photo by Zach Montes (Orjin Media)

Dr. William Armstrong receives NSF RUI award to study glacial change
Jun 6, 2024

BOONE, N.C. — Dr. William Armstrong, assistant professor in Appalachian State University's Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences,...

Built in 1792, Fort Defiance is the former home of William Lenoir. Photo by Dr. Beth Davison

Students in "Antebellum Slavery in Appalachia" course design exhibit for Lenoir's Fort Defiance
May 2, 2024

LENOIR, N.C. — Students and faculty members from Appalachian State University's College of Arts and Sciences and Reich College of Education collabor...

Dr. Robert Swarthout, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences and Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, is the principal investigator on the project. Department of Physics and Astronomy professors Dr. Chris Thaxton and Dr. James Sherman serve as co-investigators.

Drs. Robert Swarthout, Chris Thaxton and James Sherman Receive $531,902 NSF Grant
Sep 25, 2023

BOONE, N.C. — A group of faculty members from the Appalachian State University College of Arts and Sciences has been awarded a three-year grant from...

Dr. Sarah Evans receives prestigious NSF CAREER award
Apr 3, 2023

Congratulations to Dr Sarah Evans, who recently won the prestigious NSF CAREER award, making her the third professor in App State's history to do...

coal ash schematic

Dr Ellen Cowan investigates history of environmental contamination by coal ash
Oct 24, 2022

Dr Ellen Cowan's work documenting the history of environmental contamination by coal ash (a byproduct of burning coal for energy production) in five N...

Screenshot of permafrost story

Dr. Sarah Evans' Work Highlighted by AGU in EOS
Jul 18, 2022

Dr. Sarah Evans' most recent first-author paper, which was published in JGR: Biogeosciences  and titled “Control of short-stature veg...

Scott Marshall discusses the 2020 Sparta, NC Earthquake with Spectrum News Triad

Dr. Scott Marshall interviewed about the 2020 Sparta, NC earthquake
Apr 28, 2022

Dr. Scott Marshall was interviewed by Spectrum News Triad about the August 2020 Mag 5.1 earthquake in Sparta, NC after the fault line for the earthqua...

AGES faculty Carmichael, Edwards, Waters, and Toran and their students receive NSF funding to study mass extinctions
Jan 11, 2022

Drs. Sarah Carmichael, Cole Edwards, Johnny Waters, and Outreach Coordinator Marta Toran have received funding from the National Science Foundation to...