Hilary Olson

Research Scientist Associate V

Ph.D., Stanford University (1988)
B.S., University of Notre Dame (1983)
Diplôme de Langue Français, mention honorable, UNIVERSITÉ CATHOLIQUE DE L'OUEST, Angers, France.

Telephone 512-653-8356
email: olson.ig.utexas.edu

Hilary's CV

Hilary's
List of
Pubs

Hilary Olson is a stratigrapher who integrates biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental data (foraminifera) with core and seismic data. Her regional experience includes the Gulf of Mexico, Faeroe Basin, San Joaquin Valley (CA), New Jersey Margin and Texas, with a primary interest in Neogene and Quaternary Geology. Current Gulf of Mexico research is being sponsored by industrial associates. Olson is active in outreach activities and teacher professional development with support from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.

Currently Funded Research Projects

STORE (Sequestration Training, Outreach, Research and Education) Alliance
As Project Director and PI for STORE, Olson is working with the Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Department and the Bureau of Economic Geology at UT Austin. STORE will use the grant to help create a skilled workforce for the emerging carbon capture and storage industry and to build public awareness of the technology’s benefits to society, including teacher professional development.

Sponsor: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy
Related Article: Jackson School of Geosciences Press Release 2009

TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution
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, visit the TXESS Revolution website.

Sponsor: National Science Foundation, Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences
Related Article: Jackson School of Geosciences Press Release 2008

Gulf Intraslope Basins Project
As a PI for the Gulf Intraslope Basins (GIB) Project, Olson applies 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 (John Damuth and Hans Nelson) 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, visit the GIB Project page or download a project prospectus.

Sponsor: Industry Consortium
Related Publication: Olson, Hilary C., and John E. Damuth, 2009, "Character, Distribution and Timing of Latest Quaternary Mass-Transport Deposits in Texas-Louisiana Intraslope Basins Based on High-Resolution (3.5 kHz) Seismic Facies and Piston Cores,” in D. Mosher et al., eds., Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences, Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, Volume 28, Springer Science+Business Media, p. 593-603.

Gulf Basin Depositional Synthesis (GBDS)
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 this industry-sponsored project, visit the GBDS webpage.

Sponsor: Industry Consortium

Hilary's UTIG Contributions (Publications)