Education
Ph.D. (2017) Geology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
B.S. (2011) Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington; Magna Cum Laude with Honors
B.A. (2011) French and Italian Studies, University of Washington; Cum Laude
Positions
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Geoscience (Fall 2019-present*)
Simons Foundation Collaboration on the Origins of Life Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale, Geology and Geophysics (2018-2019)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Yale, Geology and Geophysics (2017-2018)
PhD student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (2011-2017)
Laboratory technician, University of Washington, Isotope Geochemistry Laboratory (2010-2011)
Student lab assistant, University of Washington, Cosmogenic Isotope Laboratory (2009-2011)
Student lab assistant, University of Washington, Fausto Liver Regeneration Laboratory, Department of Pathology (2006-2009)
*includes birth of children in 2021, 2023
Awards and Honors
Emerging Leader Award, University of Washington Earth and Space Sciences (2025)
Doris M. Curtis Outstanding Woman in Science, Geological Society of America (2022)
Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018-2021)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2013-2016)
Bershadsky Award, MIT School of Science (2016)
Teaching Excellence Award—Solving Complex Problems, MIT (2014)
MIT School of Science Spot Award; for teaching & service in DEAPS Yellowstone (2014)
Teaching Excellence Award—Analytical Techniques, MIT (2013)
Undergraduate speaker, University of Washington ESS graduation (2011)
Departmental Honors, University of Washington ESS (2011)
Merrill Prize for Excellence, University of Washington ESS (2011)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention (2011)
Fellowships and Scholarships
National Association of Geoscience Teachers Early Career Workshop Fellow (2020)
Madison Teaching and Learning Excellence Fellow, Xi cohort, UW-Madison (2019-2020)
Gordon Conference on Geochronology Travel Award Early Career (2019)
Yale Postdoctoral Travel Fund (2019)
Praecis Presidential Fellowship, MIT (2011-2012)
Shrock Fellowship, MIT (2011-2012)
North Seattle Lapidary and Mineral Club Scholarship (2011)
Julian D. and Marajane Barksdale Scholarship, University of Washington ESS (2010)
Mary Gates Undergraduate Research Scholarship, Univ. Washington (2009-2011)
NASA Space Grant Scholarship, University of Washington (2009)
Dollars for Scholars Scholarship, Seattle-Nantes Sister City Association (2008)
Incoming Freshman Scholarship, University of Washington (2006-2008)
IBM Thomas J. Watson Memorial Scholarship (2006-2010)
Funding at UW-Madison
NSF Life and Environments through Time, #248052, “Collaborative Research: “GOE-ing DEEP” into the Paleoproterozoic of Gabon to elucidate the causes and effects of Earth’s Great Oxidation.” PI Athena Eyster (Tufts), Co-PI Bauer and Co-PI Bryant (Purdue). $534,841 to UW-Madison. Start date 09/01/2025.
UW-Madison Letters & Science Field Research Opportunity for Undergraduates, Inquiring Minds. Micro- and Macroscopic Eukaryotic Life and its Preservation within the Mesoproterozoic Lower Belt Supergroup, Montana. PIs Bauer and Adam. Awarded $3,507.
NSF Life and Environments through Time, #2525879, “Conference: 2025 Geochronology Gordon Research Conference and Seminar: Timing, Tempo and Drivers of Earth’s Climate.” PI Bauer. Awarded $48,540. Start date 7/15/2025. Funding through Gordon Research Conferences. Raised additional funds from industry and private donors.
International Continental Drilling Program, “Gabon and Oxygenation of Earth Drilling Early Earth Project.” PIs Lepland, Kirsimae, Moussavou, Prave; Co-PIs Ader, *Bauer, Blattler, Crockford, Feulner, Fike, Halevy, Javaux, Thomazo, Uno. Awarded $1.6 million in 2024. *Geochronology Theme Leader. Funding not to individual institutions.
NSF Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology # 2321014, “Collaborative Research: Micro- and Macroscopic Eukaryotic Life and its Preservation within the Mesoproterozoic Lower Belt Supergroup.” PI Sarah Slotznick (Dartmouth), PI Bauer and Co-PI Adam (UW-Madison Research Scientist). $430,043 to UW-Madison. Start date 09/01/2023.
UW-Madison Fall Research Competition 2022, “Paleobiology and Environmental Geochemistry of Earth’s Earliest Eukaryotes.” Awarded $31,539.
NSF Petrology and Geochemistry #2136782, “A macro- to nano-scale interrogation of 4 Gyr of tectonism, metamorphism and alteration in the Acasta Gneiss Complex.” PI Tyler Blum (UW-Madison Research Scientist), Co-PI Bauer. $465,263 to UW-Madison. May 2022 to April 2026.
UW-Madison Fall Research Competition 2021, “When did plate tectonics start on Earth? An interrogation of the oldest continental crust, the Acasta Gneiss Complex, Canada.” Awarded $35,953, declined funding.
NSF Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry #2051691. “A robust temporal framework for the Paleoproterozoic crash of atmospheric oxygen.” PI Bauer. Awarded $419,135. June 2021 to May 2025.
UW-Madison Fall Research Competition 2020, “Strontium isotope correlation of the Mesoproterozoic Nonesuch Formation, Wisconsin, to evaluate the oldest evidence of life on land.” Awarded $46,025, accepted $6,000. July 2021-June 2022.
American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator, “Towards basin reconstruction and chronostratigraphic correlation of the hydrocarbon-bearing Mesoproterozoic Nonesuch Formation.” Awarded $110,000; May 2021- August 2023.
UW-Madison Pandemic-Affected Research Competition 2020, “Geochemical analytical technique development to support studies on the origins of the continents and an oxygen-rich atmosphere” Awarded $40,000. January to December 2021.
UW-Madison Fall Research Competition 2019, “Isotopic signals in the rock record document the origins of the continents and the evolution of complex life.” Awarded $47,760. July 2020 to June 2021.
Funding prior to UW-Madison
Simons Foundation Collaboration on the Origins of Life Postdoctoral Fellowship, “Dynamics of the Lomagundi-Jatuli Excursion and Implications for Early Life.” Awarded $266,220. Award dates 4/2018 through 8/2019.
NSF Petrology and Geochemistry #1321952, “Collaborative Research: Early Earth Evolution: Hf and Nd Isotopic Constraints from the ca 3.4->4.0 Ga Acasta Gneisses” PI Sam Bowring, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Student co-author, sole student investigator on project. MIT Awarded $215,201. 7/2013-6/2017.
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, #2013147370, “Earth’s early continental crust— the Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd isotope systematics and the U-Pb geochronology of the Acasta Gneiss Complex, Northwest Territories, Canada.” Awarded $120,000. Award dates 2013-2016.