We are excited to share that Sarah Rysanek has been awarded a National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral Fellowship. The NRC Research Associateship Programs, administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, place outstanding early-career scientists and engineers at leading federal laboratories through a highly competitive selection process. Since 1954, the program has supported exceptional researchers pursuing innovative, self-directed research that advances both their professional development and the scientific missions of sponsoring laboratories.

During the fellowship, Sarah will investigate the depositional history of the Zodiac Fan, a deep-sea sediment archive located in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Using legacy geophysical and geological datasets, this project will reassess how sediments were transported and deposited through time within this large submarine fan system.

This research will provide important insights into past climate and tectonic processes that influenced sediment delivery to the region. Additionally, the work will help improve understanding of sediment input into the Aleutian subduction zone along this segment of the margin. These findings will contribute to broader efforts to understand how sedimentation influences subduction zone behavior, landscape evolution, and long-term Earth system processes.

We are incredibly proud of Sarah for this well-deserved recognition and look forward to following the exciting research that will come from this fellowship.