Celebrating 2026 Graduating Seniors
Caleb Bartlett
Hey, my name is Caleb Bartlett and I am a Geology Biology double major here at Mac. I came into college knowing geology was something I wanted to focus on because I was interested in dinosaurs. Right now my area of study centers around the dinosaurs of the early cretaceous of Maryland, in particular how it compares and contrasts with some of the more well known fauna from the west.
Grace Bettenburg
Hi everyone! I’m Grace, and with the support of the geology department, I completed an IDIM- an Individually Designed Interdepartmental Major- in Archaeological Sciences at Macalester. My degree took a STEM-based approach to classical archaeology, incorporating geology, statistics, and geography. My fall capstone explored Roman archaeobotany through the lens of statistical machine learning, so I’m really excited to shift gears this spring and to make hydrology, specifically stream delineation, more accessible to everyday ArcGIS Pro users. This summer, I’ll be working with the Met Council in Minnesota on wastewater management with a GIS focus, and in the fall, I’ll be heading to the University of Chicago for a Master’s in Management!
Sadie Cutler
Hi my name is Sadie Cutler and I am from Washington, DC. I am a Geology major and have a minor in Biology. Growing up, backpacking and hiking sparked my curiosity about how rocks and landscapes form, and that curiosity eventually turned into a passion for geology. Taking Kelly’s Geomorphology course confirmed my love for the earth sciences! My area of interest is hydrogeology and I am currently helping out with the Kang lab at the UMN.
Scarlet Dunning
Hi! My name is Scarlet Dunning and I am from Minneapolis, MN. I originally came to Mac wanting to pursue Chemistry, but through a series of events making me realize I didn’t like Chemistry as much as I thought I did and taking a Dynamic Earth and Global Change class at the same time, I discovered that Geology was all the things I had loved about Chemistry — and so much more. I began my capstone project while up at Lake Itasca with the UMN Hydrology field camp, an experience that definitely places in top 5 lifetime experiences for me (thus far).
Lillian Hatrick
Hi everyone! I feel so lucky to have been a part of the Macalester geology department and am excited to see what the future holds. I have particularly fallen in love with geomorphology, and my capstone only amplified that. I was lucky enough to join Kelly MacGregor on a Keck research crew in Glacier National Park where we looked at sedimentation rates by taking lake cores. I am leading backpacking trips this summer and after that — who knows! But certainly something that keeps me outside and engaged with geology.
Violet McCann
I’m Violet McCann (she/her), and I’m looking forward to graduating with majors in Biology and Geology and minors in Chemistry and English. When I was three, I picked up a book about dinosaurs and declared my intention to become a paleontologist. I always thought I leaned towards biology, but at Macalester, the geology department stole my heart. The two highlights of the department are the faculty as a united front, and the incredible JEOL JSM-6610LV SEM in the Keck lab! I’ve spent the last year looking at physical and chemical microbial traces in fossil bones. This project further developed my interests in taphonomy and geochemistry. After graduation, I hope to gain some more experience in the industrial side of biology/geology, particularly with modern-day applications to public safety.
Henna Schecter
My name is Henna Schecter (she, her) and I am a geology and English double major. I came to Macalester loosely interested in geology, and I pretty quickly realized it was the right field for me. My area of study is volcanology, with my honors project focusing on the physical characteristics of tephra from Kīlauea, in Hawai’i. I started this research after a summer spent at a field camp in Hawai’i, where I met some amazing researchers and got to explore the field setting for my project.
Next fall, I will be starting a volcanology masters program at the University of Iceland, focusing on volcanic hazards and physical volcanology. Mjög spennandi! I am so grateful for my time in Mac Geology and for everyone I have met and learned from along the way!
Brenna Somdahl-Sands
I am Brenna Somdahl-Sands, a Geology and Geography major with a minor in Environmental Studies. I am from Glassboro, New Jersey, and have always loved science and the outdoors, which made geology an obvious choice. After taking an introductory course at Rowan University, I was hooked and came to Macalester knowing I wanted to pursue geology. I am particularly drawn to studying water and rocks, as well as understanding the social challenges that arise at the intersection of people and the natural environment. If you want to learn about sinkholes in the Twin Cities and how they relate to urban planning, or the political ecology of mining in northern Minnesota (my geography capstone), I love talking about how science and society connect.
Elizabeth Trevathan
Hi! My name is Liz and I’m from Cottage Grove, MN. I first fell in love with Geology in my First Year Course Dynamic Earth/Global Change with Alan Chapman, where I learned the importance and impact of telling the earth’s story! I have been working with Professor Chapman for the past two years to determine the accretionary age of the Franciscan Complex using U-Pb radiogenic dating of detrital zircon from Goat Mountain in Northern California. Now it’s time for a new genre of geology! I am exicted to begin a PhD program this fall at Colorado School of Mines focusing on stratigraphy and paleoclimate questions!