Office Address
2436 SES 845 W. Taylor
Chicago, IL 60607
Office (312) 996-0083
E-mail kwalth3@uic.edu
Katherine Walther
Master of
Science
Earth and Environmental Sciences
January 2011-Present
GPA: 3.87

University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL
Courses: Geobiology, Environmental Geochemistry, Aqueous
Geochemistry, Statistics in Earth and Environmental Sciences,
Paleoclimatology, and Ecosystems.
Bachelor of
Science
Environmental Geosciences, College of Engineering
Research
Experience
Microbiology Lab Work
January 2011-Present University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
Master’s Thesis Advisor: D’Arcy Meyer-Dombard (drmd@uic.edu)
 DNA extraction using FastDNA SPIN Kit for Soil to extract DNA from
Yellowstone National Park hot spring sediment and biofilm samples
 PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene sequences for phylogenetic analysis
to investigate small scale biodiversity of select Yellowstone hot springs
August 2006-May 2010 University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
GPA in Major courses: 3.822, Cumulative GPA 3.574, Dean’s List
 Major courses: Geomicrobiology, Geochemistry, Water-Rock
Interactions, Physical Geology, Historical Geology, Environmental
Impact, Mineralogy, Sedimentation/Stratigraphy, Petrology,
Paleontology, Field Trips, and GIS.
 Study Abroad at University of Western Australia (UWA)
 Courses: Coastal Geomorphology and Sediments, Marine and Coastal
Planning and Management, and Environmental Hydrology.
 Ireland Field Geology Course (James Madison University)
Structural Engineering Project
Fall 2008
University of Western Australia
Perth, Australia
 Conducting wind tunnel experiments in order to investigate the interaction
of two skyscrapers experiencing wind loadings and how the proximity of
the buildings to each other affects the vortex shedding and structural
soundness of each building.
Work
Experience
Teaching Assistant
January 2011-Present
University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
 Courses: Introduction to Biogeochemistry, Mineralogy, Earth, Energy,
and the Environment, and Field Work in Missouri
 Conducting lab sections, leading field trips, grading labs and tests.
Research Assistant
Fall 2007-May 2010 University of Notre Dame Institutional Research
 Collating surveys, entering survey data into various databases,
proofreading, and preparing surveys to be analyzed.
Teaching Assistant
Spring 2009-2010
University of Notre Dame
Historical Geology
 Preparation and overseeing lab work, mentoring and assisting
students, and correcting quizzes and tests.
Smithsonian Behind the Scenes Volunteer
Summer 2007, 2005 Museum of Natural History, Botany Dept. Washington, DC
 Assignments included inventorying plant specimens from Liberia by
verifying that each specimen had appropriate nomenclature and
geographic information in database, and that each specimen was
imaged. Research included verifying district, county, and city/town
names. Databases utilized were Microsoft Access and Excel.
 Assignments included extracting plant specimens from the Edward
Palmer Collection, classifying them on a web-accessible database;
scanning slides, entering data such as scientific name, common
name, and location; selecting final slides to be digitized; etc.
Additional
Experience
GIS
Summer 2010, Fall 2009, Fall 2008, Summer 2007
 Digital mapping project during Ireland Geology Field Course: mapping
geologic units in order to interpret structural history of the area
 Creating an interactive digital map of Notre Dame campus. Integrating
building, street, and parking layers with building names and numbers.
Work presented at GIS Day 2009 (Notre Dame, IN): “University of
Notre Dame Interactive Digital Map”
 http://crc.nd.edu/index.php/cyberinfrastructure/gal/98
 Additional GIS experience in mapping coastal shoreline trends for
the University of Western Australia and mapping Liberian plant
specimen locations for the Museum of Natural History.
Field Work
B.S. Environmental Geosciences
August 2006-May 2010 University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
 Spring Break field trips out west to Death Valley National Park, Big
Bend National Park, and the Grand Canyon. Understanding the
fundamentals of field geology in addition to mapping work in the
Death Valley vicinity.
 Field trips during Study Abroad at the University of Western
Australia (UWA) – cultural trips to various locales: Kalgoorlie,
Albany/Denmark region, and Margaret River, led by native
Australians. Field components to various courses: Marine and
Coastal Planning and Management, Environmental Hydrology, and
Coastal Geomorphology and Sediments.
 Ireland Field Geology Course (James Madison University) – consisted
of four weeks focused on general field methods: traditional and
digital field mapping, stratigraphy and petrology, regional tectonic
syntheses, and glacial geomorphology and climate. Followed by
two weeks focused on clastic and carbonate sedimentary systems
dealing with sequence stratigraphy and basin analysis along with
petroleum geology applications.
M.S. Earth and Environmental Sciences
January 2011-Present University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
 Two summer field seasons in Yellowstone National Park where
environmental sediment, biofilm, and geochemical samples were
taken in pursuit of biodiversity research towards Master’s Thesis
 Field trip to Arizona: Ray Copper Mine, Petrified Forest, Meteor
Crater, Sunset Crater, and the Grand Canyon. In order to more
fully understand the geologic history of the area and the geologic
processes that shape the landscape.
 Field trip to Missouri: geologic mapping of the St. Francois
Mountains and vicinity in SE, Missouri.
Research
Fellowships and
Presentations
M.S. Earth and Environmental Sciences
January 2011-Present University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
 Illinois Space Grant Fellowship: $10,000
 Presentation of research at Fall 2012 American Geophysical Union
meeting in San Francisco, CA.
 Abstract Title: Small Scale Biodiversity of an Alkaline Hot Spring
in Yellowstone National Park
 http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2012/eposters/eposter/b51d-0597/
 Presentation of research at Hot Life in the Desert, annual
Yellowstone meeting at Arizona State University (Spring 2012,
2013)
 Presentation of research at Terra Society (UIC environmentally
focused student organization)