President– Jerry Mock, He/Him
“I am a geophysics Master’s student going into my second year. I use time-lapse drone data I collected in Guatemala on Fuego volcano for change detection of the geomorphology. I earned an A.S. in geology from the College of Western Idaho and a B.S. in geophysics from Boise State University. I was fortunate enough to be asked to stay on for my Master’s here. I grew up in northwest Ohio and moved to Idaho at 19, as soon as I was able. In my free time, I enjoy sampling from the local breweries, backpacking in the mountains, and taking long rides on my motorcycle. I am excited to continue the great work started by my predecessor in building a sense of community in the department. My cubicle is in 3F if you would like to come say hi.”
Vice President– Zach Keskinen
“Heyo, I am excited to work together with everyone to get some great events planned for this upcoming year! My research explores snow water storage from aerial radar platforms, avalanche using infrasound triangulation, and snowpack thermal conductivities using modeling and phase based analysis of temperature time series. Before returning to graduate school I worked for seven years as a mountain guide teaching avalanche education, guiding high mountain climbs, and enjoying the scenery. I sit on the third floor feel free to stop by and chat about research, fun, or anything else.”
Financial Chair– Karina (Inka) Zikan, She/Her
“Hello all! I’m a 2nd year geophysics PhD student, you can find me on the 3rd floor. I study remote sensing of snow depth in alpine watersheds and am currently developing a method to estimate snow depth from ICESat-2 Satellite lidar. I received my B.A. in Physics and Mathematics from St Olaf College spring 2020 and moved to Boise last year to start working on my PhD here at BSU! Outside of research I love hiking, canoeing, and skiing and, when not out in nature, I love playing board games and tabletop RPGs (ask me about my game collection! I’m very proud of it!). I’m really looking forward to serving as your financial chair this next year!”
Faculty Liaison– Ashley Bosa, She/Her
“Hello Everyone! I’m a third year PhD Geosciences Candidate studying rain-triggered lahars (volcanic mudflows) around Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala using infrasound, time lapse imagery, and drones. I’m originally from Colorado – where I received my BS in Geology and a minor in Physical Geography. I had a brief stint in Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA while I volunteered with the Cascades Volcanic Observatory and then moved to Boise about 2.5 years ago to start my PhD! I love to hike, camp, float the Boise River in the summer, read, and be creative through art. I’m always here for you, if you need someone to talk to! Never hesitate to stop by my cubicle on the fifth floor (5D). I’m looking forward to being your faculty liaison this academic year!”
DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Chair– Hang Chen, He/Him
“I am an incoming third-year geophysical Ph.D. student. I am working on developing advanced geophysical inversion algorithms to have a better subsurface hydrologic properties estimation and then applying these properties to the hydrologic models to improve the understanding of watershed functions and their responses to climate change. I am from China and receive my B.S. in geophysics from Central South University, China. Then I went to the U.S. here to start my Ph.D. study and it is kind of a challenge and an adventure for me. I enjoy life and studying in Boise and hope you all enjoy them! I am very excited to be the DEI Chair, and let us build a welcoming and inclusive department environment together!”