During this exciting Talk Tuesday, Geologist and volcanologist Kirt Kempter will provide an insightful overview of the Cerros del Rio volcanic field, a rocky outcropping of a butte located on the north side of Diablo Canyon, approximately 15 miles northwest of Santa Fe. Dr. Kempter is the first to offer a detailed account of the geologic history of the area. Join us and learn the origin story of how this beautiful and iconic landscape formed when a volcanic eruption created a lava lake that solidified, eroded over time, and carved out Diablo Canyon.
Kirt Kempter is a Fulbright Fellow and Ph.D. graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, now living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A volcanologist and field geologist, Kirt has conducted extensive field research in Costa Rica, Mexico, and New Mexico, and has worked with the NASA astronaut training program, providing field geologic training to astronaut candidates. His interest in global geologic processes has allowed him to lead field-oriented expeditions to destinations such as Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa, and Antarctica. Kirt has led educational tours for Smithsonian Journeys and National Geographic Expeditions since 1993, and greatly enjoys sharing his passion and knowledge of geology with tour participants.
