Stephanie E. Taylor, PhD

STEPHANIE E. TAYLOR

 

Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences

University of California Santa Cruz

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Department of Physics

Naval Postgraduate School

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 Education

 

2018    Ph.D. in Earth Science, University of California Santa Cruz

2011    B.S. with honors in Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University

2006    A.B. with honors in Sociology, University of Chicago

 

Academic Positions

 

2011 – Present   

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ

Postdoctoral Researcher (2019 – Present)

Graduate Student Researcher (2011 – 2018)

 

2019 – Present   

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

Visiting Researcher (2019 – Present)

 

Research Interests

 

            I conduct laboratory experiments and DEM simulations to learn about the physics of granular shear flows, particularly those made up of grains with complex shapes and materials like those we find in nature. I am interested in the interaction between different regimes of flow, and how acoustic signals are produced by and affect granular shear flows.

            I focus on geologically relevant samples and methods with the hope that understanding energy dissipation in granular shear flows where we have good control on mineralogy, shear zone thickness, shear zone pressure and acoustic radiation will greatly improve rheological modeling of hazard systems like earthquake damage zones and landslides.

 

Awards and Scholarships

 

Ren Wu Memorial Fund Award in Geophysics (Spring 2016)

Advised winner of 2016 Dean’s Undergraduate Award for senior thesis work (Spring 2016)

Eugene Cota-Robles Fellow (Fall 2011- Spring 2016)

Edwin L. Drake Memorial Scholarship (Spring/Summer 2010)

Penn State Geosciences Dept. Award for High Cumulative GPA (Spring/Summer 2010)

Barton P. Cahir Award (Fall 2010)

Donald B. and Mary E. Tait Scholarship in Microbial Biogeochemistry (Fall 2010)

Arthur P. Honess Memorial Fund Award (Fall 2009)

 

Publications

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, Coupling between rheological regimes in granular shear flow via internally generated acoustic energy, Physical Review Letters, submitted.

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S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, Energy partitioning in granular flow depends on mineralogy via nano-scale plastic work, Journal of Geophysical Research, 124(7), 6397, 2019.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, Granular temperature measured experimentally in a shear flow by acoustic energy, Physical Review E, 96, 032913, 2017.

 

C. Regalla, D. Fisher, E. Kirby, D. Oakley, S. Taylor, Slip inversion along forearc faults, eastern Tohoku, Japan, Tectonics, 36(11), 2647, 2017.

 

Seminar Talks

 

S. Taylor, "Rheology of geophysical shear systems through the lens of granular physics". USGS Earthquake Science Center Seminar, Menlo Park, CA, July 2019.

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S. Taylor, “Noisy sand in high velocity shear flow experiments”. USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Seminar, Santa Cruz, CA, January 2018.

 

S. Taylor, “Granular temperature measured experimentally in a shear flow by acoustic energy”. UC Santa Cruz Graduate Research Seminar, Santa Cruz, CA, April 2017.

 

S. Taylor, “Acoustics and rheology of dry granular flow”. UC Santa Cruz Graduate Research Seminar, Santa Cruz, CA, May 2015.

 

S. Taylor, “Granular flow rheology”. UC Santa Cruz Graduate Research Seminar, Santa Cruz, CA, May 2013.

 

Meeting Presentations

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, “The global coupling between inertial and transitional regimes of granular shear flow”. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington, DC, December 2018. Poster and oral presentations.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, “Effect of driving velocity on lower regimes of flow in fast granular shear flows”. Gordon Research Conference: Granular Matter, July 2018. Poster presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, “Granular temperature and competing dilatational effects in high velocity shear flows of angular grains”. American Physical Society March Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, March 2018. Oral Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, “Granular temperature measured experimentally in a shear flow by acoustic energy”. SCEC Annual Meeting, Palm Springs, CA, September 2017. Poster Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, "Dilation of flow for angular quartz grains at high shear velocities". AGU Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 2016. Poster Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, “Granular shear bands that expand as ideal gases”. Gordon Research Conference: Granular Matter, Easton, MA, July 2016. Poster Presentation.

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, "Relative effects of angularity, grain size, and sorting on auto-acoustic compaction in granular flow". AGU Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 2015. Oral Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, "The effect of mineralogy and grain breakage on shear-induced noise and auto-acoustic compaction". AGU Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 2014. Poster Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, “The effect of mean grain size and polydispersity on auto-acoustic compaction”. SCEC Annual Meeting, Palm Springs, CA, September 2014. Poster Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, “The effect of grain size and polydispersity on auto-acoustic compaction”. Gordon Research Conference: Granular & Granular-Fluid Flow, Easton, MA, July 2014. Poster Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.J. Chaves, S.Y. Schwartz, “Tremor and seismicity in the northern Costa Rica seismogenic zone leading up to the September 5, 2012 earthquake.” Seismological Society of America Annual meeting, Anchorage, AK, April 2014. Poster Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, E.E. Brodsky, "Grain size distributions and their effects on auto-acoustic compaction". AGU Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 2013. Oral Presentation.

 

S. Taylor, S.Y. Schwartz, “Tremor at the up-dip edge of the northern Costa Rica seismogenic zone during a 2011 slow slip event". American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 2012. Poster Presentation.

 

Teaching and Mentoring

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ

Research Mentorship

• Summer 2019 - Present: Advising undergraduate research and senior thesis, Brenton Hirao

• Summer 2019 - Present: Advising undergraduate research and senior thesis, James Gomez

• Summer 2017: Trained undergraduate Kristina Okamoto (now a graduate student at UCSC) for research work in the granular rheology lab

• Fall 2014 - Spring 2016: Advised undergraduate research and senior thesis, Marshall J. Danese, “From dirt to diamonds: A mineralogical comparison of granular rheologies,” winner of 2016 Dean’s Undergraduate Award

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Primary Instructor

• EART 11 Earthquakes, Winter 2020

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Teaching Assistant

• EART 110C The Dynamic Earth, Spring 2014

• EART 110N (Lab Section) The Dynamic Earth Laboratory, Spring 2014

• EART 226 Signal Processing, Fall 2014

• EART 112 Practical Geophysics, Fall 2015

• EART 150 Structural Geology, Fall 2016

• EART 150L (Lab Section) Structural Geology Laboratory, Fall 2016

• EART 191C Practical Geophysics, Winter 2018

• EART 20 Environmental Geology, Spring 2018

• EART 191C Practical Geophysics, Fall 2018

 

Work Experience

 

CHEVRON, Covington, LA

Earth Science Intern, June 2013 - August 2013

• Reviewed geologic interpretations of two reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico shelf

• Generated new structure and interval isopach maps based on old interpretations, new wells and new seismic data available

• Collaborated with engineers to run simulations and history matching using my model

• Wrote a detailed workflow to use in future modeling of this type, showing how to integrate data from several different database systems.

 

CHEVRON, Lafayette, LA

Geophysics Intern, July 2012 - October 2012

• Generated a seismic interpretation of a salt structure in the Gulf of Mexico shelf using a pre-stack time migrated seismic dataset

• Picked salt horizons in well log data available

• Interpreted small and complicated features in detail, including salt welds, rollers and ridges

• Summarized and presented larger scale overall structural framework for the area

 

TAYLOR GEOSERVICES, Newtown Square, PA

Intern, May 2009 - August 2009

• Assisted geologists and biologists in the field with preparation of drill logs, well logs and macrobiotic sampling

• Wrote a recommendation report on water nitrate levels in a proposed subdivision based on hydrogeological and GIS data

 

RICOCHET PUBLIC RELATIONS, New York, NY

Manager, Client Services, July 2006 - April 2008

• Developed and presented customized public relations strategies for clients

• Placed client executives in speaking positions at events, nominated clients for industry awards and notable honors and identified product placement opportunities

• Managed and trained Client Services Group of three employees

• Wrote text for Ricochet's website and composed handouts, briefings and other materials to accompany client presentations

• Crafted media strategy for clients and contacted journalists to secure media coverage

• Mediated interviews between client executives and journalists or conference organizers

 

Service and Community Involvement

 

GEOSCIENTISTS ENCOURAGING OPENNESS AND DIVERSITY IN THE EARTH SCIENCES (GEODES)

Founder and Officer, February 2015 – September 2018

• Organized monthly workshops and lectures with the goal of facilitating professional development, raising awareness of diversity issues in the field and fostering a supportive community for UCSC Earth & Planetary Science Department members

• Won the Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity, June 2016

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SILICON VALLEY GIRLS ON THE RUN

Coach, September 2012 - May 2013

• Coached elementary school girls from 3rd-5th grades in non-competitive long distance running (up to 4 miles) with a focus on support, personal empowerment and feminism

• Organized a volunteer activity with a local church for the girls and an end-of-year party for the girls and their parents

• Ran and supported my team in the end-of year Girls on the Run 5k

 

GEOSCIENCES CLUB

Member, September 2009 - 2011

• Voted for and attended guest lectures for the club given by faculty members and graduate students in the department

 

MEALS ON WHEELS

Volunteer, September 2009 - May 2010

• Prepared and packed meals once a week for delivery to those unable to provide themselves with adequate nutrition.

 

SHAVERS CREEK ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

Volunteer, February 2009 - May 2009

• Cleared and helped to maintain trails

• Assisted with landscaping and gardening outside the educational center

• Helped prepare for events, visiting schools or service groups

 

Technical Skills

 

Technology: Discrete Element Method simulations, Linux, Matlab, C++, SPSS, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Visual Studio, LabView, ArcGIS, ArgusONE, Trimble Digital Fieldbook, GPS, antelope, Perl, various industry and proprietary software suites.

 

Laboratory: Experience with TA AR2000ex Torsional Rheometer, Brüel & Kjaer accelerometers, working with engineers to design custom lab equipment, troubleshooting laboratory experiments and collecting and archiving laboratory data.

 

Affiliations

 

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION

Member, October 2011 – present

 

AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY

Member, October 2017 – present

 

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS

Member, September 2010 – 2012