Paul Hanson, Director
Paul grew grew up in southeastern Wisconsin near the shores of Lake Michigan where he developed an appreciation for natural history and changes in earth systems. Since 2005, he has been a faculty member in the Conservation and Survey Division (CSD), Nebraska’s State Geological Survey, within the School of Natural Resources at UNL. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he studied archaeology. His graduate degrees are both from the Earth and Atmospheric Science program at University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) where he studied changes in hillslope and alluvial systems using optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating.
As the Director of UNL’s Landscape Evolution and Luminescence Geochronology Laboratory, Paul studies how landscapes evolve and change due to environmental and anthropogenic drivers. Much of his research involves dating sediments or artifacts with luminescence dating methods. Although his work is focused on studying the recent geologic history of Nebraska, including the Nebraska Sand Hills, loess deposits, and the Platte River system, he also collaborates with researchers around the world on quantifying changes in landscapes.
He also teaches courses in environmental science and physical geography, and serves as the Director of the Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (GPCESU) which supports partnerships for research, education, and training focused on the ecological and cultural resources found on public lands within the Great Plains Region in the context of an agricultural landscape. UNL is the Host University for the Region.
Link to google scholar page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=q_KD260AAAAJ&hl=en
Link to researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul-Hanson-5
Link to homepage: https://snr.unl.edu/aboutus/who/people/faculty-member.aspx?pid=758
Link to Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulhanson816/
Gosia Mahoney
Gosia's background is in archaeology, where she studied prehistoric sites in eastern Europe and central America. She completed a master's degree in geology working the geoarchaeology of Indiana Dunes National Park. Her dissertation is focused on the geoarchaeology of two sites in Nebraska. At the Munn site she used luminescence dating and diatom assemblages to document the formation of a dune dam along the Dismal River in the central Nebraska Sand Hills. At the Lynch site she is reconstructing the geologic history of the living surface and using luminescence dating to determine the age of pottery found at the site.
Jim Benes
After serving 5 years active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard, Jim received his undergraduate degree in geography at UNL, and studied paleoecology at Montana State University-Bozeman, obtaining a master's degree. He worked as a lecturer and curriculum developer at MSU in the Department of Earth Sciences. For his PhD research at UNL his focus is understanding the fire history and paleoclimates of the Nebraska Sand Hills and the northern Great Plains.
Adeg Abdelkarim
Adeg is an undergraduate at UNL majoring in Economics and Geography, and minoring in Psychology. Adeg joined Jim as a lab tech in the spring of 2022. She is assisting with his research in fire history. During her free time she likes to read, thrift, and spend time with her siblings.
Nakita Nouth-Chea
Nakita has a bachelor's degree in Geology and a minor in French from UNL. Born and raised in the Great Plains, Maintaining an interest in geology since an early age, she is excited to to study dune activity and landscape evolution in Nebraska. In addition to research in eolian geomorphology, she will be involved in geologic mapping using GIS software. Nakita's goal outside of work is to one day visit every National Park.
Jasmine Pham
Jasmine is an undergraduate at UNL majoring in Math and minoring in Geography. She is working with Joe Stalder in assisting Jim Benes with his research of the Fire History of the Nebraska Sandhills as part of a UCARE research project.
In her free time she likes reading, walking her dog, and watching movies.
Joe Stalder
Joe is a senior Geology major at UNL. He joined the lab in 2024, and he will be working alongside Jim Benes and Jasmine Pham on the UCARE Fire History of the Nebraska Sandhills project throughout summer 2024 and the 2024-25 school year.
In his free time, Joe enjoys reading and playing volleyball.
Enyssa Arps
Enyssa is a junior at UNL majoring in Geology and minoring in Anthropology. She is working in the lab under the direction of Paul Hanson processing sediment cores taken from the Nebraska plains.
In her free time, Enyssa enjoys hiking, reading, and looking at cool rocks.
Bobby Reinsvold
Bobby Reinsvold is a sophomore studying Environmental Science, with a focus on climate science. He is working under the direction of Paul Hanson analyzing Nebraska soil cores and their compositions.
Outside of work and class, Bobby enjoys spending time outside, playing hockey, and traveling.
Diego Sanchez
Diego is an undergraduate student at UNL majoring in Environmental Science, with a focus on soil resources. He is working under the direction of Dr. Paul Hanson to help assess dates, changes and other variables from core samples gathered across Nebraska.
In his free time, Diego enjoys listening to all kinds of music, reading books, and cooking a fancy meal.
Former Lab Staff
Cody Pospisil
Cody assisted in the Lab while working toward his bachelor's degree. He graduated UNL in the spring of 2024, with a degree in Geography and a focus on GIS Technologies, with a minor in Community and Regional Planning. His interests are sustainability within planning and data analysis using GIS.