Jada Siverand is a third-year Ph.D. Candidate at Lehigh University in Dr. Jill McDermott’s Lab. Her doctoral research uses geochemistry to investigate subseafloor fluid movement and fluid-rock reactions occurring at the high-temperature hydrothermal vents in the eastern tropical Pacific. On this cruise, she will be collecting fluid samples to analyze the aqueous and gaseous chemical species present within hydrothermal vents along the Western Galapagos Spreading Center. These samples will assist her in studying how proximity to an active mantle hotspot affects hydrothermal fluid circulation patterns. She will also be involved in vent discovery efforts, using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Subastian and towed sensors. Before starting her Ph.D., Jada earned her B.S. in Chemistry from Texas Woman’s University, where her research focused on the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks intended for environmental cleanup and the characterization of chemical compounds.

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