My research interests revolve around two main themes. The first of these relates to the use of geochemistry to interpret the origins of sediments and sedimentary rocks. I began my research career using rare earth elements to interpret sediment provenance in active tectonic settings, and this has now expanded to include other trace elements, and also to investigate situations where the provenance signal is overwritten, for example by traces of volcanic ash from pyroclastic eruptions. The second theme involves the interpretation of sedimentary processes and geomorphology, to understand sediment transport at the present time and in the recent past. Much of this work has been applied to monitoring beach processes on Staten Island, which is important in understanding, and potentially predicting, the response of beaches to storm events. It also includes work on monitoring microplastic pollution in the marine environment around Staten Island, and the interpretation of fluvioglacial sediments.
Starting in 2012, I oversaw the writing, approval and introduction of two new B.S. programs that launched in 2016 - a B.S. in Earth and Environmental Science and a B.S. in Earth Science for educators in grades 7 - 12. These programs now serve over 50 undergraduate students from a diverse range of backgrounds, and I was coordinator for the B.S. degrees and Geology minor until 2022.
Degrees
Ph.D., Geology, University College, London, Great Britain
B.Sc. (Hons), Geology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Alexander, J.L., Pickering, K.T., Bailey, E.H. and Hajdarevic, M. (2023) Interpreting provenance changes through time in a Miocene marine basin, Boso Peninsula, Japan. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 55, (6), Article link
Tobon, J. and Alexander, J.L. (2023) A suspected volcanic ash uncovered by trace element chemistry of sediments in the Newark Basin. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 55, (6), Article link
Acevedo, A., Alexander, J.L., Reiszel, J. and Thatcher, S.T. (2023) Coastal vulnerability and resistance: A yearlong study of Staten Island beaches. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 55, (6), Article link
Reiszel, J., Alexander, J.L. and Acevedo, A. (2023) Assessing the stability of Staten Island’s eastern shore: A sediment analysis. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 55, (6), Article link
Alexander, J. L., Acevedo, A. and Reiszel, J. (2022) Understanding the vulnerability of Staten Island’s eastern coastline from a beach morphology perspective. Field Guide and Proceedings Geological Association of New Jersey, Thirty Eighth Annual Meeting, 33 – 43, Article link
Alexander, J. L., Tobon, J., Thatcher S. and Rivelli V. (2022) Geochemical evidence for the origin of Triassic fluvial sediments and their remobilization during intrusion of the Palisades Sill. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 54, (5), doi: 10.1130/abs/2022AM-383244
Alexander, J. L. (2022) Career Week – Taking time out to focus on career activities. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. 54, (5), doi: 10.1130/abs/2022AM-383284
Alexander, J. L. (2022) Are provenance interpretations from major, trace and rare earth element data accurate? Results from four active margins. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 54 (3), doi: 10.1130/abs/2022NE-375336
Alexander, J. L., Chen, T. T., Fiero, A., Vaserman, E., Lindo-Atichati, D., Callaghan, R., Kominoski, S. and Kozyra, M. (2020) Developing a reliable method for separating microplastics from a variety of beach sediments. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 52 (2)
Alexander, J. L. (2020) Introducing students to the work of local geologists at the Geological Association of New Jersey annual meeting. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 52 (2)
Desai M., Seijo-Ellis G. G., Lindo-Atichati D., Jalon-Rojas I., Alexander J. L., Montero P. and Miro M. (2020) Influence of microfiber properties and environmental processes on their dispersal in estuaries. AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting, February 2020.
Alexander, J. L., and Avilla Sanchez, J. (2019) Staten Island beach morphology - implications for shoreline response to storm events. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 51 (1)
Alexander, J. L., Thatcher, S. T and Rivelli, V. (2018) Geochemical variation in metasedimentary rocks adjacent to the Palisades Sill – metamorphic influence or original sediment composition? GSA Abstracts with Programs, 50 (2), doi: 10.1130/abs/2018NE-311245
Alexander, J. L. (2018) Interpretation of local rocks in the context of regional events in undergraduate student labs. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 50 (2), doi: 10.1130/abs/2018NE-311340
Alexander, J. L., Afonja, R. and Rubin, S. (2016) Modeling Pore fluid chemistry in accretionary wedge sediments - New interpretation of ODP data. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 48 (2), doi: 10.1130/abs/2016NE-272763
Alexander J. L. (2015) Laboratory investigations of online databases to enhance student understanding of energy resources. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 47 (3), 100
Alexander J. L., Thatcher, S. and Rivelli, V. (2015) Geochemistry of sedimentary rocks affected by contact metamorphism from the intrusion of the Palisades Sill. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 47 (3), 134
Alexander J. L., Rivelli, V. and Thatcher, S. (2014) Sedimentary structures in the Lockatong Formation adjacent to the base of the Palisades Sill. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 46 (2), 105
Alexander J. L., Thatcher, S., Rivelli, V. and Bond, V. (2014) Origin and age of fluvial sediments, Charleston, Staten Island. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 46 (2), 45
Alexander J. L., Puffer J. H., Benimoff A. I. (2013) New evidence of volcanic ash in the Lockatong Formation of the Newark Basin. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 45 (1), 127
Alexander J. L. (2013) Environmental Geology lab exercises using local data from Staten Island. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 45 (1), 69
Alexander J. L. (editor) (2012) Field Guide and Proceedings Geological Association of New Jersey Twenty Ninth Annual Meeting
Rollizo A. and Alexander J. L. (2012) Soil survey of Crooke’s Point, Gateway National Recreation Area as a guide for vegetation management. Field Guide and Proceedings Geological Association of New Jersey Twenty Ninth Annual Meeting
Alexander J. L., Alicia, S., Gunderman, D. and Saltos, J. (2012) Groundwater response to unusual weather events – a case study from Staten Island. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 44 (2), 61
Alexander J. L. (2012) Introducing elementary school children to geologic fieldwork – from formulating the hypotheses to analyzing the data. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 44 (2), 45
Valsami-Jones E, Baltatzis E, Bailey E H, Boyce A J, Alexander J L, Magganas A, Anderson L, Waldron S, Ragnarsdottir K V. (2005) The geochemistry of fluids in an active shallow submarine hydrothermal system: Milos island, Hellenic Volcanic Arc. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 148, 130-151.
Schrag D P, Adkins J F, McIntyre K, Alexander J L, Hodell D A, Charles C D and McManus J F. (2002) The oxygen isotopic composition of seawater during the Last Glacial Maximum. Quaternary Science Reviews, 21, 331-342.
Alexander J L, Pickering K T and Bailey E H. (1999) Hydrothermal sediments associated with a relict back-arc spreading centre in the Shikoku basin, recovered from the Nankai accretionary prism, Japan. The Island Arc, 8, 281-292.
Alexander J L. (1998) Rare earth element anomalies in the Nankai Accretionary Prism, Japan. In: Cramp A, MacLeod C J, Lee S V and Jones E J W (eds.) Geological Evolution of Ocean Basins: Results from the Ocean Drilling Program. Geological Society, London, Special Publication, 131, 273-285.
Sims R, Lawless T A, Alexander J L, Bennett D G and Read D. (1996) Uranium migration through intact sandstone: Effect of pollutant concentration and the reversibility of uptake. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 21, 215-228.
