GAAP is a free mentorship program, created and operated by current CSU Geoscience graduate students. By participating in this program, you can get advice on a wide range of topics including how to connect with professors before applying, write a personal statement, or how to ask for letters of recommendation. Additionally, volunteer mentors can offer guidance on the technicalities of the application process.  

Anyone who intends to apply to the CSU Department of Geosciences is welcome to sign up for mentorship and we encourage applicants from under-represented and non-traditional academic backgrounds to use this resource.  

Mentorship will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis from October 1, 2025, to December 15, 2025. We encourage you to indicate your interest in mentorship early as we have limited mentors. We look forward to assisting you with the application process! 

This program is independent of the CSU Department of Geosciences admissions process. Any participants will remain anonymous from faculty and staff. The views of the graduate student volunteers are their own and do not represent the views of the Department of Geosciences at Colorado State University. Participation in this program does not guarantee admission to the Department of Geosciences at Colorado State University. 

Rachel is a second-year MS student working with Jeremy Rugenstein in the GeoPast Group. Her research focuses on reconstructing past temperature and precipitation in the U.S. Southwest by analyzing stable and clumped isotopes in carbonates. Rachel grew up outside of Chicago and likes to read, run, ski, watch football, and sail. 

I am a second-year M.S. student working with Dr. Lauren Harrison in the volcanology & geochemistry group. My research broadly aims to untangle the uncertainty involved with plumbing system configuration within the Hawaiian mantle plume by focusing on the isotopically enriched Makapu’u sequence of the Ko’olau volcano on O’ahu. Besides volcanoes, I love running, listening to music, and playing Stardew Valley! 

I am a second-year master’s student in Dr. Dan McGrath’s Cryosphere Research Group, where my research focuses on the impacts of wildfires on seasonal snow zones and the downstream consequences for water resources. Originally from North Carolina, I earned my B.S. in Geology from Appalachian State University in 2023. Outside of academics, I enjoy long-distance backpacking and have completed both the Appalachian Trail and the Colorado Trail! 

Ashley is a second-career, second-year PhD student with Dr. Rebecca VanderLeest in the Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, and Microplastics Research Group. She is studying the subsurface dynamics of microplastics in soil. She enjoys spending her free time hiking, gardening, and reading. 

I am a second-year M.S. student working with Dr. Dan McGrath in the Cryospheric Sciences Research Group. My thesis is focused on evaluating a physics-based snow model in post-wildfire areas, specifically through the lens of landcover parameterizations. Our lab group spends a lot of time in the field collecting snowpack data and tending to our network of meteorological stations. In my free time, I love to ski, climb and travel to places where I can practice speaking Spanish! 

Shayla is a PhD student in fluvial geomorphology with Dr. Ellen Wohl. Her research uses a combination of field and remote methods to study biophysical interactions, specifically wood, and the implications for natural and modified river systems. 

Ash is a third year PhD student from Nepal learning about glaciers and glacier processes with Dr. Dan McGrath. Her research focuses on mass balance processes for very small glaciers in the Teton Range, Wyoming using remote sensing methods. Ash in her free time likes to paint and hike. 

Itai is a first-year MS student working with Dr. Sara Rathburn in the fluvial geomorphology lab. His research seeks to quantify retention time and porosity in beaver ponds/dams and their human-built analogs in order to better understand and inform river restoration efforts. Itai grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and enjoys running, hiking, reading, and enjoying good food.  

Lindsey is a second-year master’s student studying fluvial geomorphology with Ellen Wohl. Her research is looking at the effects of floodplain logjams on soil geochemistry and plant communities. Lindsey grew up in Lincoln Nebraska and in her free time she loves running, seeing live music, and recently has taken up grilling!