EDUCATION
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, Ph.D. in Geological Sciences Dissertation: Lithospheric-scale dynamics of the Eastern Himalaya (K.V. Hodges, advisor) University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, M.S. in Geology Thesis: Influence of bedrock erodibility on orogen evolution in collisional systems and implications for geodynamic models (J.R. Thigpen, advisor) Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, B.S. in Chemical Engineering, B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry Minor, Polymer Science and Engineering focus, May 2013 Senior Thesis: Sediment filtration using melt-blown polymer nonwoven mats (E.G. Joseph, advisor) Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark, Summer Laboratory in Chemical/Biochemical Engineering (Unit Operations), June 2012 |
RESEARCH AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Graduate Research Fellow, Group 18 Laboratories at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 08/2018 - Present
Teaching Assistant, Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration, Tempe, AZ, Course: Introduction to Geology, 01/2023 - 05/2023
Instructor, Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration, Tempe, AZ, Course: Introduction to Geology Laboratory, 08/2022 - 12/2022
Graduate Research Fellow, University of Kentucky Structure and Geodynamics Laboratory, Lexington, KY, 06/2017 - 08/2018
Instructor, University of Kentucky Department of Earth and Env. Science, Lexington, KY, Courses: Structural Geology Laboratory, Principles of Physical Geology Laboratory, 01/2017 – 05/2017
Teaching Assistant, University of Kentucky Department of Earth and Env. Science, Lexington, KY, Course: Introduction to Environmental Geology, 08/2016 – 12/2016
Research Assistant, Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, Blacksburg, VA, 8/2012 – 7/2013
Undergraduate Researcher, Virginia Tech Department of Chemistry, Blacksburg, VA, 1/2011 – 5/2012
Teaching Assistant and Grader, Virginia Tech Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Blacksburg, VA, Courses: Aerospace Engineering Materials, Materials Engineering Laboratory I and II, Fundamentals of Materials Engineering, 1/2011 – 5/2013
Private Tutor for physics, chemistry, mathematics and engineering, 6/2014 – Present
STUDENT RESEARCH ADVISING
Tanner Polen (B.S. Geology 2018, University of Kentucky) - Paleopiezometric analyses of mid-crustal shear zones in NW Scotland
Austin Stephens (Diploma 2017, STEAM Academy) - Investigating depth-variance of crustal rheology using numerical modeling
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Quality Control Chemist, Diasol, Inc., Phoenix, AZ, 11/2020-5/2021
Physical Scientist (GS-1301), United States Department of Energy, Washington, DC, 7/2013 – 7/2016
Process Engineer, Novozymes Biologicals, Inc., Salem, VA, 1/2013 –5/2013
FIELD EXPERIENCE
Annapurna Himalaya: sample collection (two transects) for M.S. thesis, April-May 2017 in Central Nepal
Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest: sample collection (one transect) for UK Research Laboratory, August 2016 in Idaho and Wyoming
A Billion Years of Deformation in the Central Appalachians: Orogenic Processes and Products: GSA Annual Meeting field trip, November 2015 in Virginia
GSA/ExxonMobil Bighorn Basin Field Course: August 2015 in Montana and Wyoming
Geology and Oceanography of Barrier Islands: May 2015 in Maryland and Delaware
“Border to Beltway” Field Course: March 2014 in Texas and New Mexico and May 2014 in DC, Virginia, and West Virginia
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed Publication
Hassounah, I.A., Rowland, W.C., Sparks, S.A., Orler, E.B., Joseph, E.G., Camelio, J.A. & Mahajan, R.L. “Processing of multilayered filament composites by melt blown spinning”. J. of Appl. Polym. Sci., 2014, 131, 40786.
PRESENTATIONS
Abstracts
Sparks, S.A., Thigpen, J.R. (2017), Linkages Between Critical Wedges and Crustal Channels Using 2-D Coupled Thermomechanical Finite Element Models: Implications for Himalayan Orogenic Evolution, Abstract 208645 presented at 2017 Fall Meeting, AGU, New Orleans, LA, 11-15 Dec.
Sparks, S.A., Thigpen, J.R., Examining transient thermal-rheological interaction during collisional orogenesis using numerical modeling: Implications for channel flow and critical wedge models. In Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 49, No. 6, Geological Society of America: Seattle, WA, 2017.
Sparks, S.A., Thigpen, J.R., Lee, J., Evaluating gneiss dome thermal evolution using 2-D coupled thermomechanical finite element modeling. In Abstracts of Papers, 66th Annual Meeting of GSA Southeastern Section, Geological Society of America: Richmond, VA, 2017.
Sheth, S.S., Sparks, S.A., Marand, H., Influence of temperature and molar mass on the spherulitic growth rate of poly(epsilon-caprolactone). In Abstracts of Papers, 244th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, American Chemical Society: San Diego, CA, 2012.
Other Presentations
University of Kentucky Rast-Holbrook Seminar, Lexington, KY 2017
Kentucky Geological Survey Seminar, Lexington, KY 2017
Imperial Barrel Award Regional Competition (3rd Place), Pittsburgh, PA 2017
Virginia Tech Undergraduate Research Symposium (Poster Contest Winner), Blacksburg, VA 2011
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
ASU Graduate College University Grant, June 2023
ASU Graduate College Gastwirth Student Loan Fellowship, May 2022
ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration Summer Exploration Graduate Fellowship, March 2022
NSF EAR-190015, $500, Lithospheric-scale dynamics of the eastern Himalayan region, April 2019
Changemaker Central Sexual Violence Prevention Grant, November 2018
Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Enrichment Fellowship, May 2018
Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research, December 2017
GSA Southeastern Section Graduate Research Grant, April 2017
AAPG Meyerhoff Grant, March 2017
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, March 2017
Pirtle Fellowship, February 2016
SMART Grant, February 2011
AWARDS AND HONORS
AGI Harriet Evelyn Wallace Scholarship, March 2019
GSA Southeastern Section Student Travel Grant, September 2017
Brown-McFarlan Student Travel Grant, September 2017
University of Kentucky Graduate Student Incentive Program Award, August 2017
Southern California Earthquake Center Student Travel Award, July 2017
GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division Travel Award, July 2016
GSA/ExxonMobil Bighorn Basin Field Award, August 2015
GSA On To the Future Travel Award, August 2015
R.S. Gordon and J.H. Kroehling Materials Science Scholarships, August 2012
Warren Gentry and Gerhard Beyer Chemical Engineering Scholarships, August 2012
Gilbert L. and Lucille C. Seay Engineering Scholarship, August 2012
Virginia Tech Chemical Engineering Study Abroad Scholarship, June 2012
Friends of Chemistry Scholarship, May 2011
NASA’s National Aerospace Scholar, 2009 – 2010
The Provost’s Service Award, May 2010
Outstanding Student Leader Award, April 2010
Phi Theta Kappa International Distinguished Chapter Member Award, March 2010
Award of Academic Achievement in Physics, April 2009
WORKSHOPS
Science Outside the Laboratory, June 2023
Summer School on Computational Methods for PDEs, August 2019
8th deal.ii Users and Developers Workshop, August 2019
34th Himalayan-Karakoram-Tibet Workshop, May 2019
NSF/CIG ASPECT Hackathon, May 2019
NSF/CSDMS/CIG Coupling Tectonic and Surface Processes Workshop: Challenges and opportunities in modeling tectonic and surface processes, May 2018.
Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics Crustal Deformation Modeling Tutorial and Workshop: Software tutorial (Pylith FE) and short-term tectonics workshop, July 2017.
LEADERSHIP
ASU Women in Science Program Co-Chair (2019-20, 2023-Present)
University of Kentucky Department of Earth and Env. Sciences Graduate Student Representative (2017-18)
AAPG Bluegrass Chapter Vice President (2016-17) and Secretary (2017-18)
Materials Engineering Professional Society President (2012-13) and Vice President (2011-12)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Geophysical Union
Association for Women Geoscientists
National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Geological Society of America
Sigma Xi
Tau Beta Pi
Graduate Research Fellow, Group 18 Laboratories at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 08/2018 - Present
Teaching Assistant, Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration, Tempe, AZ, Course: Introduction to Geology, 01/2023 - 05/2023
Instructor, Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration, Tempe, AZ, Course: Introduction to Geology Laboratory, 08/2022 - 12/2022
Graduate Research Fellow, University of Kentucky Structure and Geodynamics Laboratory, Lexington, KY, 06/2017 - 08/2018
Instructor, University of Kentucky Department of Earth and Env. Science, Lexington, KY, Courses: Structural Geology Laboratory, Principles of Physical Geology Laboratory, 01/2017 – 05/2017
Teaching Assistant, University of Kentucky Department of Earth and Env. Science, Lexington, KY, Course: Introduction to Environmental Geology, 08/2016 – 12/2016
Research Assistant, Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, Blacksburg, VA, 8/2012 – 7/2013
Undergraduate Researcher, Virginia Tech Department of Chemistry, Blacksburg, VA, 1/2011 – 5/2012
Teaching Assistant and Grader, Virginia Tech Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Blacksburg, VA, Courses: Aerospace Engineering Materials, Materials Engineering Laboratory I and II, Fundamentals of Materials Engineering, 1/2011 – 5/2013
Private Tutor for physics, chemistry, mathematics and engineering, 6/2014 – Present
STUDENT RESEARCH ADVISING
Tanner Polen (B.S. Geology 2018, University of Kentucky) - Paleopiezometric analyses of mid-crustal shear zones in NW Scotland
Austin Stephens (Diploma 2017, STEAM Academy) - Investigating depth-variance of crustal rheology using numerical modeling
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Quality Control Chemist, Diasol, Inc., Phoenix, AZ, 11/2020-5/2021
Physical Scientist (GS-1301), United States Department of Energy, Washington, DC, 7/2013 – 7/2016
Process Engineer, Novozymes Biologicals, Inc., Salem, VA, 1/2013 –5/2013
FIELD EXPERIENCE
Annapurna Himalaya: sample collection (two transects) for M.S. thesis, April-May 2017 in Central Nepal
Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest: sample collection (one transect) for UK Research Laboratory, August 2016 in Idaho and Wyoming
A Billion Years of Deformation in the Central Appalachians: Orogenic Processes and Products: GSA Annual Meeting field trip, November 2015 in Virginia
GSA/ExxonMobil Bighorn Basin Field Course: August 2015 in Montana and Wyoming
Geology and Oceanography of Barrier Islands: May 2015 in Maryland and Delaware
“Border to Beltway” Field Course: March 2014 in Texas and New Mexico and May 2014 in DC, Virginia, and West Virginia
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed Publication
Hassounah, I.A., Rowland, W.C., Sparks, S.A., Orler, E.B., Joseph, E.G., Camelio, J.A. & Mahajan, R.L. “Processing of multilayered filament composites by melt blown spinning”. J. of Appl. Polym. Sci., 2014, 131, 40786.
PRESENTATIONS
Abstracts
Sparks, S.A., Thigpen, J.R. (2017), Linkages Between Critical Wedges and Crustal Channels Using 2-D Coupled Thermomechanical Finite Element Models: Implications for Himalayan Orogenic Evolution, Abstract 208645 presented at 2017 Fall Meeting, AGU, New Orleans, LA, 11-15 Dec.
Sparks, S.A., Thigpen, J.R., Examining transient thermal-rheological interaction during collisional orogenesis using numerical modeling: Implications for channel flow and critical wedge models. In Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 49, No. 6, Geological Society of America: Seattle, WA, 2017.
Sparks, S.A., Thigpen, J.R., Lee, J., Evaluating gneiss dome thermal evolution using 2-D coupled thermomechanical finite element modeling. In Abstracts of Papers, 66th Annual Meeting of GSA Southeastern Section, Geological Society of America: Richmond, VA, 2017.
Sheth, S.S., Sparks, S.A., Marand, H., Influence of temperature and molar mass on the spherulitic growth rate of poly(epsilon-caprolactone). In Abstracts of Papers, 244th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, American Chemical Society: San Diego, CA, 2012.
Other Presentations
University of Kentucky Rast-Holbrook Seminar, Lexington, KY 2017
Kentucky Geological Survey Seminar, Lexington, KY 2017
Imperial Barrel Award Regional Competition (3rd Place), Pittsburgh, PA 2017
Virginia Tech Undergraduate Research Symposium (Poster Contest Winner), Blacksburg, VA 2011
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
ASU Graduate College University Grant, June 2023
ASU Graduate College Gastwirth Student Loan Fellowship, May 2022
ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration Summer Exploration Graduate Fellowship, March 2022
NSF EAR-190015, $500, Lithospheric-scale dynamics of the eastern Himalayan region, April 2019
Changemaker Central Sexual Violence Prevention Grant, November 2018
Arizona State University Interdisciplinary Enrichment Fellowship, May 2018
Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research, December 2017
GSA Southeastern Section Graduate Research Grant, April 2017
AAPG Meyerhoff Grant, March 2017
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, March 2017
Pirtle Fellowship, February 2016
SMART Grant, February 2011
AWARDS AND HONORS
AGI Harriet Evelyn Wallace Scholarship, March 2019
GSA Southeastern Section Student Travel Grant, September 2017
Brown-McFarlan Student Travel Grant, September 2017
University of Kentucky Graduate Student Incentive Program Award, August 2017
Southern California Earthquake Center Student Travel Award, July 2017
GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division Travel Award, July 2016
GSA/ExxonMobil Bighorn Basin Field Award, August 2015
GSA On To the Future Travel Award, August 2015
R.S. Gordon and J.H. Kroehling Materials Science Scholarships, August 2012
Warren Gentry and Gerhard Beyer Chemical Engineering Scholarships, August 2012
Gilbert L. and Lucille C. Seay Engineering Scholarship, August 2012
Virginia Tech Chemical Engineering Study Abroad Scholarship, June 2012
Friends of Chemistry Scholarship, May 2011
NASA’s National Aerospace Scholar, 2009 – 2010
The Provost’s Service Award, May 2010
Outstanding Student Leader Award, April 2010
Phi Theta Kappa International Distinguished Chapter Member Award, March 2010
Award of Academic Achievement in Physics, April 2009
WORKSHOPS
Science Outside the Laboratory, June 2023
Summer School on Computational Methods for PDEs, August 2019
8th deal.ii Users and Developers Workshop, August 2019
34th Himalayan-Karakoram-Tibet Workshop, May 2019
NSF/CIG ASPECT Hackathon, May 2019
NSF/CSDMS/CIG Coupling Tectonic and Surface Processes Workshop: Challenges and opportunities in modeling tectonic and surface processes, May 2018.
Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics Crustal Deformation Modeling Tutorial and Workshop: Software tutorial (Pylith FE) and short-term tectonics workshop, July 2017.
LEADERSHIP
ASU Women in Science Program Co-Chair (2019-20, 2023-Present)
University of Kentucky Department of Earth and Env. Sciences Graduate Student Representative (2017-18)
AAPG Bluegrass Chapter Vice President (2016-17) and Secretary (2017-18)
Materials Engineering Professional Society President (2012-13) and Vice President (2011-12)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Geophysical Union
Association for Women Geoscientists
National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Geological Society of America
Sigma Xi
Tau Beta Pi