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 15, 2022, to December 15, 2022. 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. 

Kristen Cognac is a 4th year PhD student working with Dr. Michael Ronayne studying groundwater-surface water interactions and inter-aquifer flow dynamics in heterogeneous systems.  Prior to graduate school, Kristen worked for 5 years in environmental consulting.  Outside of hydrogeology, she enjoys trail running and playing with her synthesizer, guitar, and two small dogs. 

Sarah’s research interests center on how basin-scale perturbations such as fire, climate, and land use change shape river systems. She is currently investigating how beaver ponds in the Colorado Rockies attenuate sediment following wildfire. Sarah also greatly enjoys teaching and finding ways to spark others’ interest in science. 

Aaron is a first year M.S. student working with Ellen Wohl in the Fluvial Geomorphology Group. He is planning on studying the effects of a wildfire-related debris flow in the Cache La Poudre River that caused a widespread fish kill.  He spent the last six years working various environmental and hydrology jobs. Aaron plays a lot of music in his free time. 

Anna is in her second year of a Ph.D. in the fluvial geomorphology research group. Her research broadly focuses on physical processes acting along river corridors, including biophysical interactions.  

Micah is a fifth year Ph.D. student with Dr. Dennis Harry using geodynamic modeling to better understand the melt sources of syn-rift magmatism. Micah also works with near surface geophysics primarily potential field and electrical methods. Prior to CSU, Micah got his M.S. from Oklahoma State University and worked as a field geologist for an environmental company. In his free time Micah likes to go hiking, play basketball, and play board games. 

Mickey is a second year Fluvial Geomorphology M.S. student working under Dr. Ellen Wohl. She is studying river and floodplain geomorphic adjustments following disturbance, such as fire and floods, and how those impact habitat creation and salmonid recovery. Mickey is from Oregon where she studied Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Oregon State University (Go Beavs!). She worked for around 10 years in river restoration before coming to grad school at CSU. In her free time, she likes to bike, kayak, read, forage, and spend time with her dog exploring CO trails. 

Wyatt is a second year M.S. student studying the impacts of wildfire burn areas on high-elevation snowpacks with Dr. Daniel McGrath. Prior to graduate school, Wyatt worked as a civil engineer for four years. When not in the snow or behind a computer, he is typically mountain biking, running, or spending time with friends. 

Pat is a second year MS in the geomodelling group. His research focuses on the quantitative aspects of sedimentological interpretation and how machine learning algorithms perceive qualitative expressions of physical phenomena. Make computers interpret crumbly rocks! On the side, Pat spends his time soaking in the topography of the front range.

Juli is a fourth year Ph.D. candidate studying floodplain characteristics and drivers of complexity in temporary rivers across the Southwest US with Dr. Ellen Wohl. When not studying water and sediment for work, she likes to look at them for fun while canoeing, skiing, hiking, or messing around at the pottery studio. 

Shayla is a first year M.S. student studying channel and floodplain response to wildfire disturbance with Dr. Ellen Wohl. Prior to graduate school, Shayla worked for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. When not studying fluvial geomorphology, she likes mountain biking and trail running. 

Lucas is a PhD student working with Dr. Daniel McGrath in the Cryospheric Sciences Research Group. His research uses satellite remote sensing, machine learning, and geophysical tools to study how mountain glaciers (and the cryosphere more broadly) are changing and how those changes are linked to climate change.