MENDOZA, Argentina – Not a trip that many would associate with research required for a thesis, senior Robin Chernow recently traveled to Argentina, gaining firsthand knowledge about the field she is researching and will soon be joining. All of this was possible while Chernow, a Geology major, was in the middle of her record-breaking track & field career on the heels of a record-breaking soccer career in goal for the Fords.

Chernow’s trip down south came as part of a grant funded through the National Science Foundation. Joining the Haverford senior on her trip was Bryn Mawr geology professor Dr. Arlo Weil and several of his colleagues. During its trek, the group stayed in the field during the day to record measurements and collect samples of rock outcrops. The team spent its night camping in the Andes Mountains as a part of the backpack trip.

“This trip is an integral part of my senior thesis and served as a great opportunity to gain experience in the field,” explained Chernow. “Field work is important to geology, so I'm sure this experience will prove to be valuable as I pursue geology and research jobs in the future. Geologists spend a lot of time in the field; there is so much to learn and see!”

On top of the research that was done in the field, this trip also made lasting memories for many other reasons. “I have a lot of great memories from the trip. We spent a few days in an extremely rural area near San Juan. There were so many guanacos, which are cousins of the llama. We must have seen hundreds of them hanging out on the ridges nearby. Also they were very agile and strong and could run up the ridges quickly, seemingly effortlessly. When we were exhausted from long days of backpacking up hills, I was jealous the guanacos could run up hills with such speed and ease.”

She also recalled another fascinating spectacle during the trip by saying, “The number of stars we could see at night was incredible. The moon and distant lightning storms were the only sources of light pollution.”

Chernow’s most recent trip is far from her only field experience in geology. The Haverford senior studied abroad during her junior year in Spain. On top of that, Chernow also spent time researching in Ireland during that semester abroad. In that time, she studied cliffs, volcanoes, beaches, and mountains. Chernow also had the opportunity to travel to Wyoming two summers ago with Dr. Lynne Elkins of Bryn Mawr for additional geology research.

All of these experiences continue to open doors for Chernow. She has an upcoming trip to Belize with her classmates during spring break. Students on this trip are a part of the “Coasts in Transition” 360 group that took courses in marine geology and coastal & marine ecology during this academic year.

As Chernow explains it, “This will be a great opportunity to study the ecology and geology of both tropical reefs and rainforests!”

When Chernow is taking coursework in geology, she helps serve as a teaching assistant for intro courses in the geology department where she is currently the senior class representative. After her graduation in the spring, Chernow plans to accept a position in the field of geology and attend graduate school in the coming years.