The Daily O’Collegian

An OSU associate geology professor received a fellowship from the University of Texas to continue her research interests.

Elizabeth Catlos will spend a year at UT using the Harrington fellowship to analyze data and rock samples she collected in Western Turkey.

Catlos spent the past two summers in Western Turkey collecting rock samples. These samples will help reveal why the Earth’s crust is pulling apart in the opposite direction and its effect on the country’s history.

“I want to know what the earth did to the people, when it happened, why it happened, and is it still happening,” Catlos said.

The advanced equipment UT offers provides an opportunity to look at more data in more ways, Catlos said.

The Harrington fellowship gives Catlos the opportunity to use advanced technology and at the same time make contacts with other individuals in her field.

“I will have access to talking to people who think about issues the way I think about issues,” Catlos said. “I will get to meet people with new ideas.”

When Catlos came to Oklahoma State University in 2001, the people she met directed her interest to Turkey.

Ibrahim Cemen, a professor of geology and graduate adviser who was working on projects in Turkey, suggested the research area to Catlos and they began working together.

“She always impressed me with her talents to identify major research problems, develop multiple working hypotheses to solve them and find methods to test the hypotheses,” Cemen said.

Cemen said Catlos is an internationally known scientist. The Harrington fellowship allows her to meet even more scientists from America through a symposium financed by the fellowship.

Her efforts during the next year will be organized into a symposium which will bring together geologists from all around the country. The symposium will focus on the history, geology and archeology of the Aegean Sea, Catlos said.

The Harrington fellowship also finances a research assistant to accompany Catlos to UT.

Courteney Baker, a geology masters student, will work with Catlos while finishing her masters degree.

“I’ll be able to take classes and finish my thesis. It’s nice that I get to go a place where the classes relate more to what I do,” Baker said.

She began working with Catlos as an undergraduate during the summer of 2005, and is spending this summer completing more work for Catlos.

Baker is using the equipment at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. to collect different data on the rock samples.

“I’m looking at granites and seeing what they tell me,” Baker said. “I’m trying time extension to figure out when the Earth’s crust started pulling apart in Turkey.”

Baker said Catlos played a role in furthering her education and career.

“I’m getting a lot of opportunities. She puts these things in front of me,” Baker said. “I’ve had experience and a wonderful teacher.”

Catlos will also use the Harrington fellowship to further her future in geology.

“I’m going to take advantage of the position I have. I’m going to see all I can and meet all the people I can,” Catlos said. “I’m going to live an interesting life.”