Faculty Members
Marianne Karplus, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
mkarplus at utep dot edu
​
307 Geological Sciences
Marianne leads the Team Geophysics group at UTEP, which is focused on using seismic and geophysical methods to better understand tectonics, earthquakes, geothermal areas, and glaciers. Marianne received her Ph.D. from Stanford University crustal geophysics group in 2012. She received her B.A. (double major) in Mathematics and Earth Sciences, with a minor in Physics from Dartmouth College in 2004. When she is not doing geophysics, she enjoys hiking with her dogs, playing ultimate frisbee, and baking.
Graduate Students
Lucia Gonzalez Rodriguez
Ph.D. Student
Lucia Gonzalez is a PhD student in Geological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, mainly interested in understanding glaciers and their dynamics, in addition to near-surface geophysics, by using active-source seismic techniques. She is processing active-source and passive-source seismic data from the Thwaites Eastern Shear Margin.
Michel Luna Lucero
Ph.D. Student
Michel Luna Lucero is a PhD student in Geological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso. He completed his MS in Physics in Fall 2021. Michel is working on active-source seismic imaging of the critical zone at Jornada Experimental Range in southern New Mexico.
Leslie Bernal Lopez
Ph.D. Student
Leslie Bernal Lopez is a PhD student in Geological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso. She completed her MS in Geophysics in Fall 2022. Leslie is working on electrical resistivity and seismic imaging of groundwater systems in the Mesilla Bolson in the El Paso area.
Yeshey Seldon
M.S. Student
Yeshey Seldon is an MS student in Geophysics working on active-source seismic imaging of McMurdo Ice Shelf, near Williams Airfield. She became the first Bhutanese scientist to work in Antarctica in Fall 2023.
Alumni
Solymar Ayala Cortez, Postdoc, 2023, now at the Earthscope Seismic Source Facility
Jenna Faith, Ph.D., Fall 2023, now a Postdoc at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Mohan Pant, Ph.D., Spring 2023, now at TerraSond
Aracely Garcia, B.S., Spring 2023, now pursuing an M.S. at Lehigh University
Stephen Veitch, Postdoc and Research Professor, 2017-2022, now at Earthscope Primary Instrument Center
David Simpson, B.S., Spring 2020, now at ExxonMobil
Jordan Caylor, M.S., Spring 2020, now at N3B Los Alamos
Marc Garcia, B.S., Spring 2020, now pursuing a Ph.D. at UTEP
Lucia Gonzalez, B.S., Spring 2018, M.S., Fall 2020, now pursuing a Ph.D. at UTEP
Hannah Keane, B.S., Spring 2019, now a secondary science teacher in Virginia
Aimee Garcia, B.S., Spring 2019, now an Environmental Investigator at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Juan Ochoa Chavez, Ph.D., Spring 2019, now at TerraSond
Juan Pablo Esparza, summer internship 2019, completed B.S. in Earth Sciences in 2023 at Southern Methodist University, now a Community Volunteer Ambassador at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah
Sonam Lhamo, B.S., Spring 2018, now teaching physics in Bhutan
Alan Jacquez, M.S., Fall 2018, now at Fugro
Kelly Koehler, B.S., Spring 2017, now pursuing a Ph.D. at Oregon State Univ.
Alan Vennemann, M.S., Fall 2017, now at Enverus
Susana Garcia, M.S., Fall 2017, now a STEM educator
William Seelig, M.S., Spring 2016, now at U.S. Geological Survey
Assistant Coaches
Natives of the El Paso border region, Chase (the larger dog) and Willow (the smaller dog) joined the group in spring of 2015 and spring of 2018, respectively, from the Animal Rescue League of El Paso. Both have enjoyed a number of geology field trips and camping expeditions.
