Visiting Scholar in Geology
Crystal Growth, Igneous and Experimental Petrology
Olin-Rice Science Center, 163
[email protected]
Website: https://benoitwelsch.com
I am a geologist specialising in igneous petrology. My main fields of expertise include crystal growth, crystallography, and experimental petrology. I combine dynamic crystallization experiments in high temperature furnaces with optical and electronical microscopy, to study the texture and chemical composition of minerals and track dynamic processes operating in mid-oceanic, arc, hotspot and extraterrestrial magmas. My work also takes me in the field, including to several shield volcanoes (Piton de la Fournaise and Piton des Neiges in La Réunion, Hualalai on Big Island, HI, and Haleakala on Maui, HI). I completed my undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD at various French universities (La Réunion, Strasbourg, Clermont-Ferrand, Nancy), and I have held post-doctoral and research positions in several geology departments in France and the USA (La Réunion, Hawaii-Manoa, Brown, Cornell). Here at Macalester I am working on projects related to olivine and clinopyroxene crystal growth and look forward to engaging with students during summer research and future courses.
Please visit my homepage at https://benoitwelsch.com for an overview of my activities.