Contact Info

195 Rankin Science
572 Rivers Street
Boone, NC
28608
(828) 262-3049
FAX: (828) 262-6503

Chairperson:
Dr. Johnny A. Waters
watersja@appstate.edu

General Questions:
Geology Webmaster

Cynthia M. Liutkus Assistant Professor of Geology (828) 262-6933 liutkuscm@appstate.edu

Dr. Liutkus began her academic career as a Philosophy and Geology double major at Bucknell University. As part of a large multi-disciplinary research project, her Master’s degree work at Rutgers University developed a facies model for semi-arid region wetlands by examining Pleistocene sediments from Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. Working closely with anthropologists as well as geologists from both the US and Africa, the team realized that these arid-land wetlands were a critical freshwater resource for early humans and large animals who lived in the area about 1.8 million years ago. Dr. Liutkus’ PhD research developed from her Master’s degree work and investigated climate change and how sedimentary rocks (namely siliciclastics and non-pedogenic carbonates) can record fluctuations in temperature and aridity. At the moment, she has two modern field sites (in upstate NY and eastern NV) where she is measuring the rates of carbonate formation and how quickly these carbonates can incorporate climate signatures. She plans to continue her research in rift basin systems (both in the US and Africa) and explore climate change as recorded in rift basin sediments and carbonates on a variety of timescales, geographic locations, and geologic ages. Furthermore, her future research projects will continue to explore the link between climate change and human evolution.

• Education
  • B.S., Bucknell University
  • M.S., Rutgers University
  • Ph.D., Rutgers University

• Courses Taught
  • GLY 1101 - Introduction to Physical Geology
  • GLY 3800 - Introduction to Stratigraphy and Sedimentology

Dr. Liutkus' CV (pdf)