Title of Abstract: Investigating the Timing of River Terrace Formation in the Scottish Highlands
Name of Mentor: Michelle Fame
Mentor’s Organization or Department: Department of Earth and Oceanographic Science, Bowdoin College
Research Abstract: This summer, I worked on a project investigating the timescales of river terrace formation in the Scottish Highlands during the glacial and interglacial periods of the past 20,000 years. I primarily worked on developing a field plan in which I identify three specific terrace sequences that would be advantageous to study in the field. The process of narrowing down suitable sites in Scotland included conducting a literature review, making a series of maps and tables, and completing a detailed GIS analysis of each location. The implications of this research are incredibly significant and timely as we observe the loss of glaciers around the world, it becomes increasingly important to understand how the landscape beneath those melting glaciers may change in the coming decades.