PhD student wins the Mary Claire Ward Geoscience Award

Ludovico Scorsolini has received the Mary Claire Ward Geoscience Award for his research as an Earth and Environmental Sciences PhD student. Working under Professor Chris Yakymchuk and Professor Cees van Staal, his research focused on understanding the geological history of the Taconic eclogites in Newfoundland's Baie Verte Peninsula.

Scorsolini's research involved studying how these rocks were buried and exposed over time. He used detailed structural, petrological, and geochronological studies to investigate the tectonic evolution of Taconic eclogites in the Newfoundland Appalachians. The findings suggest that parts of the Laurentian passive margin were deeply buried during a collision with an exotic arc in the Middle Ordovician.

Scorsolini used a multidisciplinary approach anchored on detailed field-based studies in the Baie Verte Peninsula to tackle knowledge gaps. This approach led to the recognizing of five stages of deformation and the establishment of a tectonostratigraphy, which aided in understanding the regional structure and their kinematic evolution.

“The Baie Verte Peninsula is crucial for studying the Taconic Orogen in the Newfoundland Appalachians,” Scorsolini says. “I am working on creating a new tectonic model through this field-based research that will help explain the structural and metamorphic evolution of the Laurentian margin in the Canadian Appalachians.” The model will serve as a template to better understand accretionary orogens worldwide.

His ongoing work also includes developing a geological map at a 1:50,000 scale for the Western Baie Verte Peninsula. This map will outline the regional structures, providing a valuable visual representation of the geological features. 

Scorsolini is honoured to be selected as a winner and looks forward to continuing his research at the university over the current year.