Geosciences Department
Kurt T. Hollocher
Job Title
Professor of Geosciences
Areas of expertise
Petrology, Geochemistry
Research interests
I work on rocks in the deeply, eroded cores of mountain belts to see what the igneous and metamorphic rocks there can tell us about the tectonic development of the original mountains. The mountains and the processes that made them are gone today, but old rocks can shed light on where and how they developed in a plate tectonic context. I also work on the chemistry of natural surface and ground waters to understand how they formed and to track contaminants, and on dinosaur fossils to better understand the fossilization processes.
Field Areas: Norway, Upstate New York
Teaching interests
GEO 106: Restless Oceans
GEO 110: Physical Geology
GEO 220: Mineral Science
GEO 302: Geochemical Systems and Modeling
GEO 320: Origins of Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks
GEO 405: Senior Seminar
Publications
Hollocher, K., Robinson, P., Lucas, B., and Mabee, S.B., 2018, The Prescott plutonic complex of central Massachusetts: geochemistry an d new interpretations reconciling age dates and contact relations. Northeastern Section meeting of the Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, Burlington, VT.
Michel, A., Dietsch, C., Van Nostrand, M., Hollocher, K., 2018, Whole-rock geochemistry of intermediate to felsic orthogneisses in western Connecticut record volcanic arc magmatism. Northeastern Section meeting of the Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, Burlington, VT.
Van Nostrand, M., Hollocher, K., and Robinson, P., 2018, Petrology and thermodynamic modeling of amphibolite facies rocks (retrograded eclogites) in the Blåhø Nappe of the Middle Allochthon, Scandinavian Caledonides in Norway. Northeastern Section meeting of the Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, Burlington, VT.
Catalano, J., Hollocher, K., and Wong, M., 2009, Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and geochemistry of the Hyde School Gneiss and Rockport Granite, northwest Adirondack Lowlands. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 41, no. 3, p. 109. (Poster presentation)
Hirsch, H.V.B., Possidente, D., Averill, S., Despain, T.P., Buytkins, J., Thomas, V., Goebel, W.P., Shipp-Hilts, A., Wilson, W., Hollocher, K., Possidente, B., Lnenicka, G., Ruden, D.M., (in press 2009), Variations at a quantitative trait locus (QTL) affect development of behavior in lead-exposed Drosophila melanogaster. NeuroToxicology.
Denney, A., Hirsch, D., and Hollocher, K., 2008, Determination of the duration of retrograde metamorphism at Gore Mountain, NY: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 43rd annual Northeastern Section Meeting, Buffalo, NY, v. 40, no. 2, p. 21.
Hollocher, K., 2008, Origin of big garnets in amphibolites during high-grade metamorphism, Adirondacks, NY: Keck Geology Consortium, 2008 meeting at Smith College, Symposium v. 21, p. 129-134.
Hollocher, K., Stack, K., Denney, A., and Emerson, E., 2008, Petrology of big garnet amphibolites, North Creek-Warrensburg area, Adirondacks, NY: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 43rd annual Northeastern Section Meeting, Buffalo, NY, v. 40, no. 2, . 21.
Stack, K., Hollocher, K., Wobus, R., 2008, Comparative analyses of the Warrensburg and Gore Mountain big-garnet amphibolites, Adirondacks Mountains, NY: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 43rd annual Northeastern Section Meeting, Buffalo, NY, v. 40, no. 2, p. 22.
Hollocher, K., Robinson, P., Walsh, E., Terry, M., 2007, The Neoproterozoic Ottfjället dike swarm of the Middle Allochthon, traced geochemically into the Scandian Hinterland, Western Gneiss Region, Norway. American Journal of Science, v. 307, p. 901-953.
Regel, M.E., Walsh, E., Gehrels, G., Hollocher, K., and Robinson, P., 2008, Zircon geochronology of migmatites and pegmatites from the Western Gneiss Region, Norway: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 42nd annual North-Central Section Meeting.
Robinson, Peter, Solli, Arne, Hollocher, Kurt, Osmundsen, per Terje, and Roberts, David, 2008, Day 5: Scandian geology of the outer Trondheimsfjord region. In Robinson, Peter, Roberts, David, Gee, D. G. and P. G. Andréasson, Editors. Guidebook: A tectonostratigraphic transect across the central Scandinavian Caledonides, 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, Day 5-p.1-37.
Robinson, Peter and Kurt Hollocher, 2008, Day 6, Part II: Geology of Trollheimen. In Robinson, Peter, Roberts, David, Gee, D. G. and P. G. Andréasson, Editors. Guidebook: A tectonostratigraphic transect across the central Scandinavian Caledonides, 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, Day 6, Part II-p.1-7.
Robinson, Peter and Hollocher, Kurt, 2008, Mafic dikes and basement cover relationships, southern coast of the islands of Midsund. In Robinson, Peter, Roberts, David, Gee, D. G. and P. G. Andréasson, Editors. Guidebook: A tectonostratigraphic transect across the central Scandinavian Caledonides, 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, Day 7, p.17-22.
Additional media
Academic credentials
B.S., Antioch College; M.S., University of Massachusetts at Amherst; Ph.D., University of Massachusetts at Amherst
F.W. Olin Center 310
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Fax:
(518) 388-6417