Jaclyn Baughman

Assistant Professor

I investigate the evolution of the Earth’s continental crust across spatial, temporal, and thermal scales. I am an expert in mid-low temperature thermochronometry and combine geologic dating tools with fieldwork, structural relationships, and detailed petrography to unravel the mechanisms, including tectonics, mantle processes, and seismicity that drive lithospheric and surface evolution. My primary research field sites include the Appalachian Mountains, Southern Africa, and I plan to expand my research program to include projects in Northern California.

My teaching and mentorship philosophy is centered on intentional and inclusive design to support AJEDI (Access, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) work in the geosciences. Successful learning and teaching require a student-centered environment, transparent expectations, communication, exploration, and the fostering of critical thinking skills. I enhance student learning through inquiry- and place-based activities and provide support and community as students grow their science identities.

Professional Experience:

Assistant Professor, Cal Poly Humboldt, 2021-present

Visiting Assistant Professor, Bowdoin College, 2018-2021

Specialty Area

Thermochronology and Geochronology, Deep-time, Tectonics, Geochemistry, Geoscience Education 

Teaching

 I teach courses from general geology and geologic field methods, to more specialized courses like structural geology and fault mechanics. 

 

Education

Ph.D., Geological Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, 2018
B.A., Colgate University, 2013

Courses Taught

SCI 100 – Becoming a STEM Professional in the 21st Century
GEOL 109 – General Geology
GEOL 335 – Field Methods I

Research

  • (U-Th)/He thermochronometry method development
  • Appalachian Mountain collisional to rift dynamics
  • Archean-Phanerozoic burial and exhumation history of southern Africa
  • Developing and using virtual field experiences to enhance accessibility and spatial reasoning in the geosciences

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles (*denotes undergraduate student advisee)

 *Basler, L.C., Baughman, J.S., Fame, M.L., and Haproff, P.J. (2021) Spatially variable syn- and post-Alleghanian exhumation of the central Appalachian Mountains from zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology. Geosphere 17 (4), 1151-1169.https://doi.org/10.1130/GES02368.1

 *Donnelly, M., *Nebuwa,A., Baughman, J.S. and Doore, S.A. (2021) Virtual Field Trips to Increase Geoscience Accessibility and Student Engagement. 7th International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN), pp. 1-3, doi: 10.23919/iLRN52045.2021.9459329.

Baughman, J.S. and Flowers, R.M. (2020) Mesoproterozoic burial of the Kaapvaal craton, southern Africa during Rodinia supercontinent assembly from (U-Th)/He thermochronology. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 13p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.115930

 Baughman, J.S. and Flowers, R.M. (2018) Deciphering a 2 Gyr-long thermal history from a multichronometer (U-Th)/He study of the Phalaborwa carbonatite, Kaapvaal craton, South Africa. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 19(5), 1581-1594. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017GC007198

 Baughman, J.S., Flowers, R. M., Metcalf, J.R., and Dhansey, T. (2017) Influence of radiation damage on titanite He diffusion kinetics. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 205, 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2017.01.049