Geochemistry, Petrology, and Biomineralogy

My interests involve reactive fluid flow and mineralization in all levels of the earth's crust, in both ancient and modern environments - through regional and contact metamorphism, metasomatism at mid-ocean ridges, and through microbially mediated reactions at the earth's surface.

My research involves a variety of techniques such as CL (cathodoluminescence), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), LA-ICPMS and LA-ICP-OES (laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or optical emission spectroscopy) and stable isotope analysis (particularly carbon and oxygen). Some of my students also work with Dr. Suzanna Bräuer's research group in the Department of Biology to culture biomineralizing bacteria and fungi. We do extensive fieldwork in southern Appalachian caves as well as on a variety of regional rocks at the surface that have experienced reactive fluid flow and/or biomineralization. For more information about our geomicrobiology research group, visit http://geomicrobiology.appstate.edu.

News and Updates

April 2013 - Sarah receives the Wayne D. Duncan Faculty Enrichment and Teaching Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching in General Education
April 2013 - Congratulations to Josh Feierstein '15 for his research award at the 16th Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors
March 2013 - Recent work by the Carmichael-Bräuer geomicrobiology research group now in press: Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria are abundant and environmentally relevant members of ferromanganese deposits in caves of the upper Tennessee River Basin (Geomicrobiology Journal).
March 2013 - Sarah receives grant to study the geochemistry of an early human footprinted ash in Tanzania from the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees
January 2013 - Sarah receives ShaRE grant to study biological Mn oxidation via TEM-EELS microscopy at Oak Ridge National Laboratories
June 2012 - Congratulations to Leigh Anne Roble '12 and Aubry DeReuil '13 for presenting their research at the V.M. Goldschmidt Conference in Montreal, QB, Canada.
April 2012 - Congratulations to Leigh Anne Roble '12 and Aubry DeReuil '13 for winning awards for their research at the 15th Annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors
December 2011 - Carmichael-Bräuer geomicrobiology research group's work on microbial biominerals spotlighted in the Appalachian news

April 2011 - Sarah receives grant to study biominerals from NC Space Grant New Investigator's Program