Skip to content
Emme Kasprzyk Geology graduate and paleoenvironmental researcher focused on sediment cores, fossil pollen, and climate history.

Academic Portfolio Page

CV

Curriculum vitae with education, research experience, service, honors, and methods.

Curriculum Vitae

This CV is organized for graduate applications and research review.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Geology, Concentration in Life, Ocean, & Climate
James Madison University (JMU), Harrisonburg, VA
Graduated May 2025
Major GPA: 3.38

Research Experience

U.S. Geological Survey Research Volunteer — Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Reston, VA
June 2024-May 2025; August 2025-Present

  • Current: Sampling and processing from a sediment core collected in the Gulf of California, working toward a multiproxy analysis of climate and moisture shifts through time (generally 10 hours/week).
  • Previous: Sampled a 3 m marsh core from Benedict, Maryland; learned basic pollen sample processing; identified and point-counted fossil pollen grains to determine abundances used to infer paleoenvironmental shifts through time.

Paleoenvironmental Marsh Core Research — JMU Department of Geology and Environmental Science
January 2024-May 2024

  • Reconstructed the paleoenvironment of a sediment core using a multiproxy approach including XRF, LOI, and LDPSA.
  • Developed and applied an age model using C-14 dating, anthropogenic markers from XRF analysis, and average sedimentation rates to determine facies changes throughout the core (approximately 15 hours/week).

Presentations / Publications / Posters

  1. Kasprzyk, E., Willard, D., St John, K., and Howard, K. (2025). Using Fossil Pollen to Track Vegetation and Land Use Changes in a 1500-year Tidal Marsh Core. Abstract ID 408642. Presented at GSA25 Southeastern, 19-21 March, Harrisonburg, VA.
  2. Howard, K., Card, C., Chandler, M., Geoly, A., Harper, C., Kapus, Z., Kasprzyk, E., Lumsden, A., and St John, K. (2024). Environmental Changes Based on a Multi-Proxy Analysis of a 1500-year Tidal Marsh Core from Benedict, MD. Abstract ID 1530825. Presented at AGU24, 9-13 Dec, Washington, D.C.

See the Publications page for publication-style entries and external conference links.

Teaching & Work Experience

Therapeutic Recreation Assistant II — Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, Arlington, VA
May 2024-Present

  • Teach and facilitate activities for children with disabilities in a school setting.
  • Assist with personal care, emotional wellbeing, and unexpected behaviors while prioritizing safety.
  • 40 hours/week in summer, approximately 6 hours/month year-round.

Biology 140 Lab Teaching Assistant — JMU Biology Department, Harrisonburg, VA
August 2023-December 2023

  • Supported undergraduate students in lab techniques, safety, and protocols.
  • Assisted in field data collection, including DNA extraction and PCR analysis.
  • Assisted in grading and class organization (approximately 5 hours/week).

Honors and Awards

Sigma Gamma Epsilon — The National Honors Society for the Earth Sciences (Inducted Fall 2024)

Relevant Coursework

  • Paleoclimatology & Paleoceanography
  • Environmental Soil Science
  • Drone Piloting & Remote-Sensing
  • Mid-Atlantic Geology Field Course
  • Geowriting & Communication
  • Mineralogy

Methods / Technical Skills

  • Sediment core sampling and processing
  • Fossil pollen processing and point counting
  • Multiproxy paleoenvironmental analysis (XRF, LOI, LDPSA)
  • Age-model development using C-14 dates, anthropogenic markers, and sedimentation-rate constraints
  • Field and lab support, scientific communication, and instructional assistance