New position for NBMG’s Rachel Micander

We are very pleased to welcome Rachel Micander as our new Geologic Information Specialist at the Great Basin Science Sample and Records Library (GBSSRL), the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology’s (NBMG) public office and geologic information and sample repository. Rachel has been a part of the NBMG team since 2014, working as an analyst in Cartography.

Rachel received her B.S. in Geology from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in May of 2010. Following graduation, she began working for the Nevada Division of Minerals as a Geologist and GIS Specialist on the Abandoned Mine Lands program. During her time with the Division of Minerals she visited many remote locations throughout Nevada, fostering her love for the Great Basin and drive to share the unique geologic wonders of the state. She worked with contractors, claimants, federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, and five groups of summer interns to catalog and secure abandoned mine features statewide. She also served as the main GIS contact for agency-wide data and helped facilitate the transition to digital data collection for abandoned mine features.

In 2014, Rachel transitioned into a position with the NBMG at UNR, where she worked as an analyst in GIS and Cartography. Her work primarily focused on developing web mapping applications and story maps to educate the public about geologic hazards, mineral resources, unique landscapes and geology, and the vast amount of digital information that NBMG has available. Rachel is very active with education and outreach in the geosciences for K-12 teachers and students, as well as the NBMG Earth Science Week field trips. She has been a member of the Nevada Mining Association’s Education Committee since 2010, teaching workshops in both northern and southern Nevada each year and educating teachers about minerals, rocks, geology, and the natural resources of Nevada. Rachel is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Geology at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Rachel’s public office hours at the GBSSRL are Wednesday and Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in November and December, and Tuesday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. beginning in January. She is available to assist with rock identification, core and cuttings sampling, aerial photography viewing, and exploring the GBSSRL’s many data collections. https://pubs.nbmg.unr.edu/aboutus.asp