PDF can be downloaded here

Nicolas C. Barth

nic@geology.co.nz
www.ncbarth.com

Objective: While a student, I am seeking part time consulting work in geothermal energy, mining or interpretation of other geologic data, employing my varied skills as a geologist. I seek an engaging job tackling geologic problems.

Education:

(in progress) Ph.D. Geology, University of Otago, New Zealand, "Comparative Fault Mechanics in Quartzofeldspathic, Mafic and Ultramafic Protoliths: a Study of the Alpine Fault Zone in South Westland" Advisors: Dr. Virginia Toy, Prof. Richard Norris and Prof. Alan Cooper

M.S. Geological Sciences, University of California-Santa Barbara, “Strain in the Western Gneiss Region of Norway Recorded by Quartz LPOs” Advisor: Prof. Brad Hacker, 4.0 GPA, June 2008

B.S. Geological Sciences, University of California-Santa Barbara, 3.92 GPA, High Honors and Distinction in the Major, Advisor: Prof. Rick Sibson, March 2007

Spent my junior year studying geology at the University of Otago, New Zealand as part of the UC Education Abroad Program, January-November 2006

Canyon High School of Anaheim, CA, 3.62 GPA, Honors and Advanced Placement courses, June 2003

Publications & Theses:

Barth et. al (2010), “Anatomy of a Plate Boundary at Shallow Crustal Levels: A Composite Section from the Alpine Fault, New Zealand” poster presented at 2010 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.
Barth et. al (2010), “Strain within the Ultrahigh-Pressure Western Gneiss Region of Norway Recorded by Quartz CPOs” in Continental Tectonics and Mountain Building: the Legacy of Peach and Horne, Geological Society of London
Contributing author and photographer to “The World of Gem & Crystal Treasures” by Dr. Peter Bancroft, hardcover book, expected publication: early 2012
“Strain within the Ultrahigh-Pressure Western Gneiss Region of Norway Recorded by Quartz LPOs,” MSc thesis, UCSB, 2008
“Geology of the South Branch of the Pareora and Otaio Rivers Region, Hunter Hills, Canterbury, New Zealand,” Senior Thesis, UCSB and U. of Otago, 2006

Work Experience:

Subcontract work for GNS Science, New Zealand, interpreting LiDAR data for the central Alpine Fault

Interpreted fault traces, offset features, pressure ridges, lineaments, glacial features and landslides. Developed a structural & kinematic model for the central Alpine Fault

Teaching Fellow, University of Otago- Department of Geology, March 2010 to present
Field Assistant to Dr. Virginia Toy, University of Otago- Department of Geology, geological investigation of the Red Hills, NZ, January 2009
Graduate Student Researcher and Teaching Assistant, UCSB, January 2007-June 2008
Consulting geologist for BreitBurn Energy Company, Ltd., March-April 2007
- Employed to do detailed geologic surface mapping of S. Orcutt Hill Oil Field, Santa Maria, CA to aide in exploration
Dr. Brad Hacker and Dr. Doug Burbank Labs, UCSB Geological Sciences, October-December 2005
- Prepared samples for radiometric age dating, ground up rocks using a disk mill, sieved out desired sample size, separated minerals using a Franz magnetic separator, selected grains for sampling using a microscope

Prepared samples for cosmogenic age dating, ground up rocks using a disk mill, sieved out desired sample size

H.A.M. Technology in Anaheim, CA as the Shipping/Receiving Manager, November 2005 and as Quality Control Technician, December 2005
- Handled multiple shipment deadlines daily, received packages and placed them in inventory
- Inspected drill bit tolerances and ensured quality contro
Target Corporation Asset Protection as a Target Protection Specialist for Store #0677 in Anaheim Hills, CA; April-August 2003 and June-July 2004
- Provided a professional/physical appearance, protected merchandise, employees and guests; responded to crises; assisted in apprehension

Teaching:

Structural Analysis of Deformed Rocks (Geol 351), Teaching Fellow, 2010 & 2011
Advanced Field Studies (Geol 302), Teaching Fellow, 10 day mapping exercise, 2010 & 2011
Sedimentary Processes and Materials (Geol 273/373), Student Demonstrator, 2009
Structural Analysis of Deformed Rocks (Geol 351), Student Demonstrator, 2009
Field Studies and New Zealand Geology (Geol 252), week-long field-based class, Student Demonstrator, 2009
Spring Field (Geol 104B), Teaching Assistant, week-long field-based class teaching geologic mapping, cross sections, stratigraphic columns, and scientific writing, 2008
Igneous Petrology (Geol 102B), Instructional Aide to laboratory sessions, 2008
Earth Materials (Geol 114A), Teaching Assistant, lab-based mineralogy/petrology class, 2007
Designed 2 new Earth Materials classes (Geol 114A&B), 2007

Created course materials, labs, lectures, websites; chose textbooks, 300+ hours

Geology of Yosemite (Geol 19), Teaching Assistant, field-based class, 2007
Geology of Death Valley (Geol 18), Teaching Assistant, field-based class, 2007

Outreach & Community Service:

Research & Conservation Officer for the New Zealand Speleological Society addressing national issues pertaining to proposed infrastructure development on karst, illegal trade of moa bones from public lands, and the protection of caves, 2009-present
Speaker at the 2010 UC-NZ Education Abroad Program student orientation about my experiences and speaker on caving at a 2011 meeting of the Otago Branch of the NZ Alpine Club
Over 50 hours volunteering to teach 1st-8th grade students about geology at various UCSB-affiliated events and school science fairs, 2004-2008
BSA Eagle Scout project- Trail restoration at Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim, 200+ hours, 2001

Honors and Awards:

National Geographic Society

2010 National Geographic Young Explorer Grant for PhD fieldwork

University of Otago

2009-2011 Otago Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct a PhD in geology

University of California- Santa Barbara

2008 Teaching Assistant of the Year awarded by UCSB geology undergraduates
2008 Preston Cloud Award for presenting a talk at the 2007 GSA annual conference in Denver
2007 Fugro West Scholarship for “educational excellence in engineering geology and marine geophysics”
2007 George Tunell Endowed Fellowship for “special interest in economic geology, mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry or petrology”
2007 UC Instructional Development Grant to design 2 new Earth Materials classes
2005 Robert M. Norris Prize in Field Geology for “educational excellence in geological field mapping”

Coast Geological Society

2006 John Woolley Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship

Boy Scouts of America, Troop 241

2001 Eagle Scout

Experience:

Technical Skills:

Geologic field mapping, Garmin and Ashtech ProMarkGPSs, Brunton Geo Transit Compass, Jacobs Staff
Adobe Creative Suite 4, Microsoft Office suite, Compass computer software, StereoWin 1.2, Google Earth, GeoWall
ArcGIS: ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcScene; MapInfo
Photoshop CS3 Fundamentals Workshop, taught by Jonathon Kingston at the Lepp Institute of Digital Imaging, June 4-6, 2007
Interpretation of stereopair aerial photographs, LiDAR and differential InSAR imagery
Making petrographic thin sections, disk mill, Franz magnetic separator, mineral picking for radiometric dating, optical microscopy
Core logging, water conductivity testing, gravitometer, shallow-ground conductivity
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Electron Backscatter Diffractometer (EBSD), X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD)

Field Experience in Geology:

Fieldwork for PhD thesis, over 3 months of remote fieldwork in South Westland, New Zealand observing, mapping, and sampling on and near the Alpine Fault Zone; this includes backpacking trips to 8 days and drop-offs with helicopters, Cessnas and jetboats
Expedition leader for 2011 NZ/US Fiordland Caving Expedition to several remote, unexplored sites to find, explore and map new caves with a strong scientific emphasis; new caves found and over 1km of cave passage surveyed, February-March 2011
2011 Megamania Cave Expedition to explore and map cave systems in Kahurangi National Park, New Zealand, January 2011
2010 Ellis Basin Cave Expedition, exploring New Zealand’s deepest cave and one of the deepest in the world, January 2010
Caving expedition exploring, surveying and mapping Deer Cave in Gunung Mulu National Park in Borneo as the expedition’s geologist, 3 weeks, November-December 2009
Geologic investigation of the Red Hills Ultramafic Massif, Nelson, New Zealand, 2 weeks, January 2009
Traverse of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado by raft and foot, 23 days, November-December 2008
Surveying and exploring in Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, 7 days camping underground, September 2008
Comprehensive geologic field study of the Pareora and Otaio River Gorges Region (16 km2) of Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, 2006
- 12,000+ word report encompassing lithology, structure, petrography, macrofossil assemblages, hydrogeology, geomorphology, unconformities, inversion tectonics, geological hazards and economic geology. Geologic mapping and cross sections constructed at 1:5,000. Copy available upon request.
Field mapping at Swinburn Station, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2 weeks, February 2006
- Map, cross sections, report, shallow ground-conductivity and gravity surveys
Field Assistant to Joshua Cole (UCSB graduate student) for 6 weeks in Austria on a NSF funded research project, July-August 2005
- Looked at geologic structure and shear zones within the Hohe Tauern National Park in the Austrian Alps; took pictures, measurements, oriented samples, notes, data analysis
Field Assistant to Jennifer Van Pelt (UCSB graduate student), Lead Mountain/Elephant Mountain region northeast of Barstow, CA, April 2005
- Helped measure a composite stratigraphic section using Jacobs Staff (1500m+ thickness)
UCSB Summer Field geology course in the White Mountains, Poleta and Mammoth Lakes region, CA, 3 weeks, June-July 2005
- Mapped for 2 weeks at Poleta Folds and turned in a comprehensive geologic report, studied volcanology of the Long Valley Caldera region, mapped glacial moraines and fault scarps using 3D stereographic projection of aerial photos
Volunteer for Cave Restoration Foundation (CRF) and National Park Service (NPS) with Dr. Joel Despain (Cave Specialist for Sequoia& Kings Canyon National Parks) at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- 2001-2008- cave surveyor and mapper, cave exploration, cave restoration, photo documentation, 200+ hours, ~3-4 times/year
- August-September 2004- Assisted Cave Biology project, discovered new caves and virgin passage, surveyed and mapped caves, attended cave management meetings, assisted air quality instrument readings, used telemetry to track radio-collared bears, performed conductivity tests, visited 20 park caves, spent over 70 hours caving, hiked over 135 miles

Affiliations:

Student Member of the Geoscience Society of New Zealand (GSNZ) 2009-present
Student Member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2009-present
Student Member of the Geological Society of America (GSA) 2005-2010
Member of the National Speleological Society (NSS) 2007-present
Conservation & Research Coordinator for the New Zealand Speleological Society (NZSS) 2010-present, Member 2009-present
Member of the New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC) 2009-present
Member of the National Geographic Society 1994-present
President of Muckers Cotorie, a student-run club for UCSB geology majors, 2004-2005
Field Trip Chairman of the Santa Ana Rock & Mineral Club 1996-2000, Member 1994-present

Hobbies/Interests:

Caving, photography, canyoning, rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, cave surveying, mineral collecting, lapidary, ultimate frisbee

Future Endeavors:

Publish 4 papers as products of PhD research: Implications of the southern Alpine Fault; Anatomy of a plate boundary at shallow crustal levels: a complete composite section through the Alpine Fault; the 1km3 Alpine Fault-triggered Cascade rock avalanche; Shallow transpressional segmentation & partitioning revealed by LiDAR data from the central Alpine Fault
Finish exploring, mapping and studying the world’s longest sea cave near Dunedin, New Zealand.
Contributing writer and photographer to the book “The World of Gem & Crystal Treasures” by Dr. Peter Bancroft, expected publishing date: early 2011
Publish a coffee table book of pictures from New Zealand

References available upon request.
Sample geologic maps or geologic reports available upon request.