Estella Atekwana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Estella Atekwana
Estella Atekwana in 2020
Born	Estella Akweseh Nkwate September 13, 1961
Alma mater	Howard University Dalhousie University
Scientific career
Fields	Geophysics, Biogeophysics, Tectonics
Institutions	University of Delaware Oklahoma State University
Thesis	Gravity and magnetic interpretation of the Kapuskasing Structural Zone in the Val Rita and Groundhog River Blocks, northwestern Ontario, Canada (1990)
Doctoral advisor	Matthew H. Salisbury

Estella Atekwana (born September 13, 1961) is a famous geophysicist. This means she studies the Earth using physics! She focuses on two cool areas: biogeophysics, which looks at how living things affect the Earth, and tectonophysics, which studies how the Earth's crust moves and changes.

Currently, she is a Dean at the University of California, Davis. She is also a Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences there. Before this, she was a Dean at the University of Delaware. She has also taught at other universities like Oklahoma State University. Estella Atekwana has helped write many scientific journals. She has also won many awards for her work. She is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Estella Atekwana's Early Life and Education

Estella Atekwana grew up in Cameroon, a country in Africa. She was the first person in her family to go to college. She started at Howard University in 1983. At first, she wanted to study medicine. But then she switched to geology, which is the study of the Earth.

She earned her first degree in Geology from Howard University. Then, she got her master's degree in geology from the same university in 1986. In 1991, she completed her Ph.D. in Geophysics. She earned this advanced degree from Dalhousie University in Canada.

After finishing her studies, she became a professor. She taught at Western Michigan University. Later, she was a visiting professor in Botswana for a short time. She also taught at other universities. These included Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis and Missouri University of Science and Technology. In 2007, she joined Oklahoma State University.

Promoting Diversity in Science

Estella Atekwana cares a lot about making science open to everyone. She works to bring more different people into Earth sciences. She also helps build scientific knowledge in developing countries. Because of her efforts, she has won special awards. These awards are from groups like the Association for Women Geoscientists. She also serves on important committees. These groups help guide the future of Earth science.

Estella Atekwana's Earth Research

Estella Atekwana is a leader in a new field called Biogeophysics. This field uses physics to understand how living things affect the Earth. She studies how tiny living things, like microbes, change rocks and soil. This helps us understand what happens at polluted sites.

Studying Contaminated Sites

Estella Atekwana and her team studied places polluted by oil and gas. They went to Air Force bases to look at these sites. They expected to find oil and gas deep underground. Instead, they found something surprising. The ground was very good at conducting electricity.

This discovery showed that many things could make the ground electrically conductive. It also showed that Earth physics, chemistry, and biology are all connected. This led her to create the field of Biogeophysics.

Understanding Earth's Electrical Signals

Her research looks at how microbes change the electrical properties of the ground. She uses special tools to measure electricity in the ground. This helps her map where pollution is located. It also helps her understand how living things affect the Earth's electrical signals.

Exploring Earth's Moving Plates

Estella Atekwana also uses geophysics to study how the Earth's crust moves. This is called tectonics. She looks at deep structures inside the Earth. These structures help explain how continents split apart. For example, her work shows how old rock structures in Malawi and Botswana affected how the land broke apart. She also found that old structures control how new rifts form. A rift is like a giant crack in the Earth's crust.

Making Science More Accessible

Estella Atekwana is also working on a cool project. She wants to use smartphones with special sensors. This could make it cheaper to collect Earth data. This is very helpful for schools that cannot afford expensive equipment. It means more students can learn about geophysics.

Estella Atekwana's Publications

Estella Atekwana has helped write many important science papers. Here are a few examples:

• Bacterial Stern layer diffusion: experimental determination with spectral induced polarization and sensitivity to nitrite toxicity
• High-resolution magnetic susceptibility measurements for investigating magnetic mineral formation during microbial mediated iron reduction
• The Microbial Community Structure in Petroleum-Contaminated Sediments Corresponds to Geophysical Signatures

Awards and Honors

Estella Atekwana has received many awards for her important work:

• Elected Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Fellow, Geological Society of America
• Fellow, American Geophysical Union
• Reginald Fessenden Award from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (2021)
• Society of Exploration Geophysicists 2020 Virtual Near Surface Global Lecturer
• Association for Women Geoscientists 2019 Outstanding Educator
• Outstanding Educator Award, Society of Exploration Geophysicists (2016)
• Elected Fellow of the Geological Society of America 2016
• Eminent Faculty Award, Oklahoma State University (2015)

See also

In Spanish: Estella Atekwana para niños