Karen Harpp

BA Dartmouth College (1986); MSc Cornell University (1990); PhD Cornell University (1995)

• Lawrence University, 1994-98
• University of Idaho, 2011-2012

Instrumental and analytical techniques in the geosciences, geochemistry, volcanology, igneous petrogenesis, environmental geochemistry, project-based learning, integrating online education with classroom experiences, design thinking methods.

Geochemistry and petrology of hotspots and the mantle (current focus: the origin and evolution of the Galápagos Islands, deep mantle origins of plumes,  plume-ridge interactions), analytical geochemistry and trace element analysis (ICP-MS), science education and outreach programs with an emphasis on hands-on experiences, project-based learning, and design thinking.

• 2015 Jerome Balmuth Award for Teaching and Student Engagement
• Included in the Princeton Review's The Best 300 Professors, 2012
• 2010 Alumni Corporation Distinguished Teaching Award Fellow, Geological Society of America
• 2002 Biggs Excellence in Teaching Award from GSA
• National Science Foundation research and instrumentation grants
• NSF Career Grant Program
• Outstanding Young Teacher Award, Lawrence University 1997

(*indicates student author)

Harpp, K.S., Geist, D.J. (2018). The Evolution of Galápagos Volcanoes: An Alternative Perspective. Frontiers in Earth Science, 6, 50.

Harpp, K.S. (lead editor), Mittelstaedt, E. (lead editor), D’Ozouville, N. (editor), and Graham, D. (editor) (2014). The Galápagos: A Natural Laboratory for the Earth Sciences, American Geophysical Union Monograph, Washington, DC.

Harpp, K.S., Hall, P.S., Jackson, M.G. (2014). The Galápagos and Easter: A Tale of Two Hotspots, in The Galápagos: A Natural Laboratory for the Earth Sciences. Editors: K. Harpp, E. Mittelstaedt, D. Graham, N. d’Ozouville, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC.

Harpp, K.S., Geist, D., ^*Koleszar, A.M., ^*Christensen, B., Lyons, J., Sabga, M., ^*Rollins, N. (2014). The geology and geochemistry of Isla Floreana, Galápagos: A different type of late-stage ocean island volcanism, in The Galápagos: A Natural Laboratory for the Earth Sciences. Editors: K. Harpp, E. Mittelstaedt, D. Graham, N. d’Ozouville, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC.

Harpp, K.S., Wirth, K.R., Teasdale, R., ^*Blair, S., ^*Reed, L., ^*Barr, J., ^*Pistiner, J. ^*Korich, D. (2014). Plume-Ridge Interaction in the Galápagos: Perspectives from Wolf, Darwin, and Genovesa Islands, in The Galápagos: A Natural Laboratory for the Earth Sciences. Editors: K. Harpp, E. Mittelstaedt, D. Graham, N. d’Ozouville, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC.

Sinton, C. W., Harpp, K.S., Christie, D.M. (2014). The northeast seamounts of the Galápagos Platform, in The Galápagos: A Natural Laboratory for the Earth Sciences. Editors: K. Harpp, E. Mittelstaedt, D. Graham, N. d’Ozouville, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC.

Mittelstaedt, E., Soule, S., Harpp, K., Fornari, D. (2014). Variations in crustal thickness, plate rigidity, and volcanic processes throughout the Northern Galápagos Volcanic Province, in The Galápagos: A Natural Laboratory for the Earth Sciences. Editors: K. Harpp, E. Mittelstaedt, D. Graham, N. d’Ozouville, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC.

Geist, D.J. and Harpp, K.S. (2009). “Geology of the Galápagos Islands”, in Encyclopedia of Islands, edited by Rosemary G. Gillespie and David A. Clague, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.

Peñaherrera-Palma, C., Harpp, K., Banks, S. (2013). Rapid seafloor mapping of the Galápagos northern islands Darwin and Wolf, volume 68, Noticias de Galápagos/Galápagos Research .

Mittelstaedt, E., Soule, S., Harpp, K., Fornari, D., ^*McKee, C., Tivey, M., Geist, D., Kurz, M.D., Sinton, C., ^*Mello, C. (2012) Multiple expressions of plume-ridge interaction in the Galápagos: Volcanic lineaments and ridge jumps,  Geochemistry Geophysics, Geosystems, volume 13, Q05018. 

Chadwick Jr., W.W., Jónsson, S., Geist, D.J., Poland, M., Johnson, D.J., Batt, S., Harpp, K.S., and Ruiz, A. (2011): The May 2005 eruption of Fernandina volcano, Galápagos: GPS and InSAR observations of a circumferential dike intrusion from a multi-level magmatic system, Bulletin of Volcanology, 73 (6), 679-697, DOI: 10.1007/s00445-010-0433-0.

Geist D., Diefenbach, B.A., Fornari, D. J., Kurz, M.D., Harpp, K.S., Blusztajn, J. (2008): Construction of the Galápagos platform by large submarine volcanic terraces, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 9, Q03015, doi:10.1029/2007GC001795.

Geist, D.J., Harpp, K.S., Naumann, T.R., Poland, M., Chadwick, W.W., Hall, M., and ^*Rader, E. (2007): The 2005 Eruption of Sierra Negra Volcano, Galápagos, Ecuador, Bulletin of Volcanology. DOI 10.1007/s00445-007-0160-3.

Geist, D.J., Fornari, D.J., Kurz, M.D., Harpp, K.S., Soule, S.A., Perfit, M.R., and ^*Koleszar, A.M. (2006): Submarine Fernandina: Magmatism at the Leading Edge of the Galápagos Hot Spot, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 7, Q12007, doi:10.1029/2006GC001290.

Lyons, J., Geist, D., Harpp, K., Diefenbach, B., Olin, P., and Vervoort, J. (2007). Crustal Growth by Magmatic Overplating in the Galápagos, Geology, 35 (6), 511-514.

Harpp, K.S., *Wanless, V.D., Otto*, R.H., Hoernle, K., and Reinhard Werner (2005). "The Cocos and Carnegie Ridges: A Trace Element Record of Long-term Plume-Ridge Interaction", Journal of Petrology, 46, 109-133.

Harpp, K.S., *Koleszar, A.M., and Geist, D.J. (2005). "Volcanoes in the Classroom: Eruption Column Simulation," Journal of Geoscience Education, 53, 173-175.

Harpp, K.S., Fornari, D.J., Geist, D.J., and Kurz, M.D. (2003): "Genovesa Submarine Ridge: A Manifestation of Plume-Ridge Interaction in the Northern Galápagos Islands," Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 4, 8511, doi: 10.1029/2003GC000531.

Harpp, K.S. and Geist, D. (2002). "The Wolf-Darwin Lineament and Plume-Ridge Interaction in the Northern Galápagos," Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 3, 8504, doi:10.1029/2002GC000370.

Geist, D., White, W.M., Albarede, F., Harpp, K.S., Blichert-Toft, J., Reynolds, R., and Kurz, M. (2002). Volcanic Evolution in the Galápagos: The Dissected Shield of Volcan Ecuador, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 3, 10611, doi:10.1029/2002GC000355. 

Harpp, K.S., Wirth, K.R., and *Korich, D.J. (2002): "Northern Galápagos Province: Hotspot-induced, near-ridge volcanism at Genovesa Island," Geology, 30, 399-402.

Harpp,Harpp, K.S. and *Sweeney, W. (2002). Simulating a volcanic crisis in the classroom, Journal of Geologic Education, volume 50, p. 410-418.

Harpp, K.S. and White, W.M. (2001). Tracing a mantle plume: Isotopic and trace element variations of Galápagos seamounts, Geochemistry, Geophysics, and Geosystems, volume 2, Paper number 2000GC00137.

*denotes a Colgate University undergraduate

Harpp, K. (invited), Schwartz, D.M., Cleary, Z., Wilson, E., Pimentel, R., Mahr, J., McGuire, M., Bercovici, H., and Van Kirk, R. (2018): New eruptive ages and new perspectives on the Eastern Galápagos Archipelago,  Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., Washington, DC, abstract V31A-01.

Koleszar, A.M., Rader, E., and Harpp, K.S. (2018): The saga of Volcville: A large-scale lava flow hazard mitigation exercise for undergraduates with the Syracuse Lava Project (SLP), Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., Washington, DC, abstract V23F-0136.

^†Pimentel, R., Harpp, K., Geist, D., ^†Bercovici, H., ^†Mahr, J., ^†Cleary, Z., ^^^Cordova, M. (2018): ISPY San Cristobal’s magma source:  The Galapagos Island edition, Northeast GSA Meeting, Burlington, VT, Paper No. 57-4.

Harpp, K.S., ^xSchwartz, D., ^xWilson, E., ^†McGuire, M., ^†Cleary, Z., ^†Mahr, J., ^†Pimentel, R., ^†Van Kirk, R., ^†Bercovici, H., Mittelstaedt, E., Kurz, M., Geist, D. (2017): The evolution of Galapagos volcanoes, IAVCEI 2017 Scientific Assembly, Portland, OR, Submission 455.

Sinton, C., Mittelstaedt, E., Harpp, K., Fornari, D., Geist, D., Soule, S. (2016): The tectonic-magmatic evolution of Galapagos lineaments from radiometric dating and bathymetry along the Pinta-Marchena Ridge, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract, OS41C-1979.

^†Bercovici, H. L., Geist, D., Harpp, K., ^^^Almeida, M., ^†Mahr, J., ^†Pimentel, R., ^†Cleary, Z. (2016): A little island with a big secret: Isla Rabida, Galápagos, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract, V53C-3117.

^†Pimentel, R., Harpp, K., Geist, D., ^†Mahr, J., ^†Bercovici, H., ^†Cleary, Z., ^^^Cordova, M. (2016): Are you there plume? It’s me, San Cristóbal: Geochemical evolution of a Galápagos Island, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract, V53C-3118.

^†Mahr, J., Kurz, M., Harpp, K., Geist, D., ^†Bercovici, H., ^†Pimentel, R., ^†Cleary, Z, ^^^Cordova, M. (2016): Rejuvenescent volcanism on San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos: A Late “Plumer”, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract, V53C-3119.

^†Cleary, Z., Mittelstaedt, E., Harpp, K., ^†Bercovici, H., ^†Mahr, J., ^†Pimentel, R., ^^^Cordova, M. (2016): Investigating magmatic processes on San Cristóbal, Galápagos through analysis and modeling of newly acquired gravity measurements, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract, V53C-3120.

Mittelstaedt, E., Harpp, K., ^xSchwartz, D. (2016): Using gravity measurements from Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos to investigate differences in magmatic plumbing systems between Eastern and Western Galapagos Islands, GSA Meeting. Paper 63-18, Denver, CO.

^†Wadhera, S., ^†Zengilowski, A., Harpp, K. (2015): Adapting MOOC technology for the liberal arts classroom, Learning with MOOCs 2015, New York City, NY.

^†Bercovici, H., Geist, D., Harpp, K., Almeida, M. (2015): Evidence for a dying magma chamber at Rábida Island, Galápagos, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract V31D-3054.

^†Varga, K., ^†McGuire, M., Geist, D., Harpp, K. (2015): Understanding magmatic plumbing system dynamics at Fernandina Island, Galapagos, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract, V43B-3121.

^†McGuire, M., ^†Varga, K., Harpp, K., Geist, D., Hall, M. (2015): Volcanic evolution in the Galapagos: The geochemistry and petrology of Espanola Island, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract V31D-3055.

Gibson, S.A., Dale, C.W., Geist, D., Harpp, K.S. (2015): Os isotopic constraints on the identification of pyroxenite in the source of OIBs, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, abstract EGU2015-9784.

^†Lemanski, B., Connor, S., Gullapalli, S., Harpp, K. (2015): Effects of pollution on the religious activity of individuals along the Ganges River: An interdisciplinary pilot study with sociological and analytical chemistry-based approaches, PITTCON Conference and Expo 2015, New Orleans, LA, abstract 2190-3.

Harpp, K.S., ^†Bray, B., Geist, D., Garcia, M.O. (2014): The Vanda Dike Swarm, Dry Valleys, Antarctica II: Geochemistry and geochronology, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., San Francisco, CA, abstract 19625.