Hilary Olson

Telephone 512-653-8356
email: olson

Hilary Olson integrates the biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental analysis of foraminifera along with core and seismic data. She is particularly interested in the quantitative analysis of foraminiferal census data to improve paleoenvironmental and biostratigraphic interpretations. In addition, she is active in educational outreach activities and teacher professional development.

Currently, she is applying foraminiferal analysis techniques, to study the latest Quaternary depositional processes and faunas of the intraslope basins of the Gulf of Mexico. Using a high-resolution data set composed of piston cores and 3.5 kHz and airgun seismic data, Olson and her colleagues are looking at depositional styles in the Gulf of Mexico in relationship to glacial and interglacial periods. For more information on the industry-sponsored GIB project, click here.

As part of the Gulf Basin Depositional Synthesis (GBDS) team, Olson is responsible for incorporating biostratigraphic data into the overall stratigraphic framework of the project.  For more information on the industry-sponsored GBDS project, click here.

In her role as a PI for the TXESS (TeXas Earth and Space Science) Revolution program, Olson is responsible for assisting with professional development in Earth and Space Science throughout the state of Texas.  With funding from the National Science Foundation, the Texas Regional Collaboratives and the Jackson School of Geosciences, the project is focused on serving minority teachers and minority-serving teachers across the state.  Working with the Texas Regional Collaboratives and GeoForce Texas at The University of Texas at Austin, the program intends to impact 3,500 teachers and over 6,000 students over the five-year project. For more information, click here.