DR. MARK JOSEPH ABOLINS
Professor

CONTACT AND CONNECT:
E-mail: Mark.Abolins@mtsu.edu

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mark-abolins/3a/a94/a22
Phone: (615) 494-7986
Fax: (615) 898-5592
Address:
Department of Geosciences

Middle Tennessee State University

Davis Science Bldg, Room 217
MTSU Box 9
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Web Address: http://capone.mtsu.edu/mabolins/abolins.htm

EDUCATION:
A.B. (Geology and Integrative Biology) with Distinction, 1992, University of California, Berkeley

M.S. in Geology, 1996, California Institute of Technology
Ph.D. in Geology, 1999, California Institute of Technology

 

HONORS AND AWARDS:

1992 Phi Beta Kappa.

1992 Earle C. Anthony Graduate Fellowship (Caltech).

1993 NSF Graduate Fellowship.

1997 Richard H. Jahns Graduate Assistant Teaching Award (Caltech).

1998 NSF Post-doctoral Fellowship in STEM Education. (I declined this award because MTSU offered me a tenure-track position.)

 

APPOINTMENT:

Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor, 1998-present, Department of Geosciences, Middle Tennessee State University

 

COURSES TAUGHT:

I currently teach an academic year Field Methods in Geology course, an undergraduate/graduate Structural Geology course, an Education Abroad Switzerland and Alpine Italy course, and an on-line Geoscience of Caves course. I also teach an Introduction to Environmental Science course and a general education Introduction to Earth Science course.

 

RESEARCH AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

(* undergraduate co-author)

 

Abolins, M., and Ogden, A., 2023, Topographic Controls on the Duration of Sinkhole Flooding in Central Tennessee, USA: Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, v. 29, n. 4, p. 275-290, https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aeg/eeg/article-abstract/29/4/275/630560/Topographic-Controls-on-the-Duration-of-Sinkhole?redirectedFrom=fulltext  .

Abolins, M., and Ogden, A., 2023, Sinkhole flooding above a shallow bedrock aquitard in a rapidly-urbanizing community, central Tennessee, USA: Geomorphology, v. 425, 108586, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169555X23000065?via%3Dihub .

Abolins, M, and Ogden, A., 2021, Application of the global SRTM and AW3D30 digital elevation models to mapping folds at cave sites: International Journal of Speleology, v. 50, p. 75-89.

Abolins, M., Bush, R.*, Han, A.*, and Ogden, A., 2018, Mesoscale faults, macroscale folds, and inferred basement structures, Nashville dome, central Tennessee, in Engel, A.S., and Hatcher, R.D., Jr., eds., Geology at Every Scale: Field Excursions for the 2018 GSA Southeastern Section Meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee: Geological Society of America Field Guide 50, p. 95�119, https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/2075/chapter/114336849/Mesoscale-faults-macroscale-folds-and-inferred .

Abolins, M., Young, S.*, Camacho, J.*, Trexler, M.*, Ward, A.*, Cooley, M.*, and Ogden, A., 2015, A road guide to the Harpeth River and Stones River fault zones on the northwest flank of the Nashville dome, central Tennessee, in Holmes, A.E., ed., Diverse Excursions in the Southeast: Paleozoic to Present: Geological Society of America Field Guide 39, p. 1�20, doi:10.1130/2015.0039(01).

Abolins, M., 2014, Undergraduates discovering folds in �flat� strata: An unusual undergraduate geology field methods course: Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 62, p. 264�277, doi:10.5408/12-371.1.

Abolins, M., 2004, A Student-centered Regional Planning Group Activity for Non-science Majors, Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 52, p. 472-480.

Wernicke, B. P., J. L. Davis, R. A. Bennett, P. Elosegui, M. J. Abolins, R. J. Brady, M. A. House, N. A. Niemi and J. K. Snow, 1998, Anomalous strain accumulation in the Yucca Mountain area, Nevada, Science, v. 279, no. 5359, p. 2096-2100.

Bennett, R.A., B.P. Wernicke, J.L. Davis, P. Elosegui, J.K. Snow, M.J. Abolins, M.A. House, G.L. Stirewalt, and D.A. Ferrill, 1997, Global Positioning System constraints on fault slip rates in the Death Valley region, California and Nevada, Geophysical Research Letters, v. 24, p. 3073-3076.

Abolins, M., 1997, Introducing volcanic hazards with free digital data, Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 45, p. 211-215.

 

BOOK CHAPTERS

Abolins, M., 2022, Archival Airborne Visible/infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) Image of Faults in a Mixed Carbonate-Clastic Succession, Northwestern Spring Mountains, Nevada, USA, in Misra, A.A., and Mukherjee, S., eds.: Atlas of Structural Geological and Geomorphological Interpretation of Remote Sensing Images. Oxford: Wiley, p. 177-184, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119813392.ch17 .

Abolins, M., 2019, Techniques for the field measurement and analysis of the orientation of gently-dipping strata, in Billi, A., and Fagereng, A., eds.: Problems and� Solutions in Structural Geology and Tectonics. Developments in Structural Geology and Tectonics, v. 5. Cambridge: Elsevier, p. 25-41, https://www.sciencedirect.com/bookseries/developments-in-structural-geology-and-tectonics/vol/5/suppl/C .

Abolins, M., 2019, Geographic Information Systems in an Undergraduate Structural Geology Course: a Pilot Project at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN, in Mukherjee, S., ed.: Teaching Methodologies in Structural Geology and Tectonics.� Singapore: Springer Nature, p. 201-219, https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811327803.

 

OTHER SELECT PUBLICATIONS

Deng, M., L. Di, M. Abolins, H. Gong and G. Zhou, 2006, Making Differences: Uses of GeoBrain in Classroom Teaching of Earth System and Geospatial Information Sciences at Higher Education Institutes Worldwide, in Proceedings, Ninth Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference.

Abolins, M., R. L. Oskin, A.R. Prave, C.L. Summa, and F.A. Corsetti, 2000, Neoproterozoic glacial record in the Death Valley region, California and Nevada, Geological Society of America Field Guide, v. 2, p. 319-335.

 

SELECT RECENT PRESENTATIONS

(* undergraduate co-author)

 

Abolins, M., 2018, Relationship between the orientation of the Nashville Rift in central Tennessee and the orientation of macroscale folds in post-rift Paleozoic strata: evidence for rift fault reactivation: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 50, No. 6, ISSN 0016-7592, doi: 10.1130/abs/2018AM-324897, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2018AM/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/324897 (accessed 4/6/21).

Abolins, M., 2018, Learning with ArcGIS within an undergraduate structural geology course at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 50, No. 6, ISSN 0016-7592, doi: 10.1130/abs/2018AM-324863, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2018AM/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/324863.

Abolins, M., Bush, R., Han, A., and Ogden, A., 2018, Inferred reactivation of basement structures within the Nashville Dome, central Tennessee: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 50, No. 3, ISSN 0016-7592, doi: 10.1130/abs/2018SE-313116, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2018SE/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/313116 .

Abolins, M., and Levandowski, J., 2017, Uplift of the Nashville dome, central Tennessee by inversion of the previously-undescribed Nashville rift: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 49, doi: 10.1130/abs/2017AM-307585, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2017AM/webprogram/Paper307585.html.

Abolins, M., 2016, Using the spatial analysis of a structure contour map to compare fold hinge and fault orientations within the Harpeth River fault zone, a cratonic fault and fold zone in central Tennessee: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 48, doi: 10.1130/abs/2016AM-287942, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2016AM/webprogram/Paper287942.html (accessed 3/22/17).

Abolins, M., 2016, On-line educator professional development for the alumni of a summer undergraduate pre-service STEM teacher science research experience: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 48, doi: 10.1130/abs/2016AM-287606, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2016AM/webprogram/Paper287606.html (accessed 3/22/17).

Birkofer, J., and Abolins, M., 2016, Educators collaborate on-line to develop an education module aligned with a high school science next generation science standard: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 48, doi: 10.1130/abs/2016AM-287144, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2016AM/webprogram/Paper287144.html (accessed 3/22/17).

Deal, D.*, and Abolins, M., 2016, Collaborative development of a karst curriculum aligned with the next generation science standards: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 48, doi: 10.1130/abs/2016AM-287536, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2016AM/webprogram/Paper287536.html (accessed 3/22/17).

Abolins, M., and Ogden, A., 2016, Groundwater Flow within the Western Limb of the Stones River Syncline, Rutherford County, Central, Tennessee: Proceedings of the 2016 Tennessee Water Resources Symposium, p. 1C-13-1C-21, https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/12ed7af3-57dc-468c-af58-da8360f35f16/downloads/Proceedings2016.pdf?ver=1617384962238� (accessed 4/6/21).

Abolins, M., Young, S.*, Camacho, C.*, Trexler, M.*, Ward, A.*, Han, A.*, Flores, J.*, and Cooley, M.*, 2015, Inferred Paleozoic reactivation of Precambrian basement faults within a cratonic flexural bulge, Nashville dome, central Tennessee, Geological Society of America Abstracts, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015AM/webprogram/Paper270507.html (accessed 9/4/15).

Abolins, M., 2015, Relationship between an intensive nine-week undergraduate pre-service teacher science research experience and lesson plans and career plans, Geological Society of America Abstracts, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015AM/webprogram/Paper270390.html (accessed 9/4/15).

Bomar, B.*, Evans, I.*, and Abolins, M., Impact of a 2014 nine-week intensive undergraduate research experience on a pre-service teacher�s active learning practices at the Salvation Army�s Summer 2015 Day Camp in Nashville, TN, Geological Society of America Abstracts, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2015AM/webprogram/Paper270056.html (accessed 9/4/15).

Abolins, M., 2014, The first year of the National Science Foundation Geosciences Directorate�s first pre-service teacher Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), Geological Society of America Abstracts, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2014AM/webprogram/Paper250295.html (accessed 4/6/21).

Camacho, J.*, Young, S.*, and Abolins, M., 2014, Pre-service teachers involvement in nine-week structural geology research experience, Geological Society of America Abstracts, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2014AM/webprogram/Paper249664.html (accessed 9/4/15).

 

OTHER PRESENTATIONS

(* undergraduate co-author)

 

Abolins, M., and Estep, T.*, 2006, Validation of previously-mapped lineaments in and near part of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee with free data from global image archives, Geological Society of America Abstracts, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2006AM/webprogram/Paper116354.html (accessed 4/20/21).

McMillin, T.L.*, and Abolins, M.J., 1999, The expression of floods on visible/infrared satellite images of the Obion River, northwestern Tennessee, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 31, n. 7, p. 270.