Setting the Benchmark: Join the Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program

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However, it is the excellence of our scientists that drives these scientific achievements, and to ensure we recruit the next generation of geoscientists, we invite applicants to join the 2023 Mendenhall Research Fellowship cohort. Check out our page to learn more How to Apply!

USGS Mendenhall Fellow Sabine Loos (left) works on how to generate earthquake information so it is actionable and equitable for different communities. USGS Mendenhall Fellow Max Schneider (right) works on statistical modeling for aftershock forecasting models and data visualization for those forecasts.

What are Mendenhall Fellows?

So what is our Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program? About twenty years ago, we started a new postdoctoral research program in honor of Walter C. Mendenhall (1871-1957), the fifth director of the U.S. Geological Survey.Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program) provides postdoctoral fellows in a variety of fields with the opportunity to conduct research that enhances their experience, scientific standing, and credentials.

Applicants choose from a list of projects based on their interests and expertise. Each project has one or more USGS scientists who coordinate the fellowship. The projects span the full range of scientific disciplines we study.

Noa Randall and Rachel Allen, researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Mendenhall Research Institute, install optical turbidity sensors on the mudflats of Wellfleet Harbor to complement the altimeter operated by the Center for Coastal Studies.

Why should you become a part of the Mendenhall family?

In addition to competitive compensation and benefits, Mendenhall Fellows get to work on exciting and interesting projects with outstanding scientists. In addition, Mendenhall Fellows are some of the best scientists we work with, many of whom go on to leadership positions within the institution.

In fact, the reasons are as varied as the Mendenhall Fellows themselves. Hear from Mendenhall Fellows themselves about why they love being a Fellow and what they get out of the role.

Erin Benson is a U.S. Geological Survey Mendenhall Fellow with a Ph.D. in Earth and Climate Sciences from Duke University, and is currently tracking the spatiotemporal evolution of a world-class carbonate rare earth element deposit in Mountain Pass, California.

“As a Mendenhall Fellow, I have the opportunity to continue the research aspects of my favorite Ph.D. while investigating challenging new areas in my field. Scientific research at the USGS is well supported; I appreciate having access to numerous research labs run by excellent scientists who enjoy working in collaboration. Coming from a small geoscience department with very broad research interests during my Ph.D., I also enjoy discussions with scientists working on a variety of problems in my field.”

Katherine Hobart is a U.S. Geological Survey Mendenhall Fellow and received her PhD in Geosciences from the University of Minnesota. She is studying mineralogical controls on the distribution of key minerals in ores and mine wastes, which has important implications for mineral exploration, resource recovery, and environmental impacts.

“My favorite part about being a Mendenhall Fellow so far has been the extremely welcoming environment and the clear connection of my research to national scientific priorities, while still having the freedom to pursue the parts of my research that excite me.”

Julia McIntosh is a U.S. Geological Survey Mendenhall Fellow with a Ph.D. in Geology from Southern Methodist University, where he is currently conducting informative assessments of critical minerals using stable isotopes.

“My greatest reward from receiving the Mendenhall Fellowship has been working with an interdisciplinary team of expert USGS scientists to investigate complex geological problems. The Mendenhall Research Fellowship Program provided me with an initial opportunity to pursue my research interests at the USGS, which opened the door for me to participate in a variety of other USGS research projects.”

Stanley Modensky is a USGS Mendenhall Fellow who earned his PhD in Engineering Geology from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and joined a team at the USGS studying machine learning and next-generation geothermal energy assessment.

“My experience as a Mendenhall Fellow has been and remains a whirlwind of learning. I am a researcher working to combine the fields of geoscience and machine learning to find geothermal resources and meet our future energy needs. Every day presents new challenges and problems that require me to reach beyond my current area of expertise and into fields such as other natural sciences and computational disciplines to build multidisciplinary solutions. Having a role that allows me to constantly learn and discover is the best part of being a Mendenhall Fellow.

While the dynamics of these challenges may initially seem daunting, I am not alone in tackling them. I am part of a small but powerful team consisting of Erick Burns, Jake DeAngelo, John Lipor (our Portland State affiliate), Jeff Pepin, Ryan Cahalan, and me. We learn from each other. Perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, I consider myself the beneficiary of a world-class mentorship system and can arguably learn more during my time as a Mendenhall Fellow than I did during my graduate studies. In my opinion, this mentorship system is the greatest, yet often overlooked, benefit of being a USGS Mendenhall Fellow. ”

Nora Nieminski is a research geologist and Mendenhall Fellow at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California.

This is a photo of her on a navy ship Bold Visionwhose piston core samples were collected from the South Cascadia subduction zone offshore northern California/southern Oregon.

How to Apply

So you’re sure you want to be one of our Mendenhall Fellows. Great! Here are the fine print. You need to fill out the application by November 1, 2023, and you need to meet two conditions:

Satisfy the PhD requirement 5 years prior to the application opening date. PhD must be completed at the time of starting employment;

Meet the eligibility requirements as described in the research opportunity. Applicants must meet the USGS scientific needs as described in the research opportunity description. Proposals must demonstrate that applicants have the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the specific research opportunity. Otherwise, they may not be considered.

The following are Active Project List Find Mendenhall Fellows. Take a look, choose the program you think best matches your interests and qualifications, and apply! More information How to do this.

For more information, please contact Cara Campbell, Program Manager for the Mendenhall Research Fellowships, at:ccampbell@usgs.govOr send an email to the Mendenhall Research Fellowship general email address:mendenhall@usgs.gov.

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