EDUCATION

  • Ph.D. (2017), Stanford University, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

  • M.S. (2015), Stanford University, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

  • B.A. (2009), Harvard University, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Work and Fellowship Experience

  • Vice President, Global Exploration (Winter 2017 - present), Lithium Americas Corporation.

  • Adjunct Research Scientist (Summer 2018 - present), Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

  • Research Associate (Fall 2017 - present), American Museum of Natural History, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

  • Adjunct Assistant Professor (Summer 2017 - present), New York University, Liberal Studies Program.

  • Consulting Geologist (Summer 2017 - Winter 2017), Lithium Americas Corporation.

  • Fulbright Scholar (Fall 2010 - Summer 2011), Iceland, Íslenskar Orkurannsóknir (ÍSOR/Iceland GeoSurvey)

  • Research Associate (Fall 2009 - Fall 2010), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

  • Benson, T.R. (2021). Geology of the Thacker Pass deposit in the McDermitt Caldera, Nevada: the largest and highest-grade known sedimentary lithium resource in the United States. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs.

  • Feineman, M, Crescenzo, N., White, T., Pisupati, S., Rozelle, P., and T.R. Benson (2020). Field and Laboratory Identification of Lithium-Enriched Clay from the Mercer Formation in Central and Western Pennsylvania. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (virtual).

  • Benson, T.R. and Casini, M. (2019). From Supervolcanoes to Salars: the role of volcanism in forming the world’s largest lithium deposits. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. San Francisco, California.

  • Benson, T.R. (2018). The volatility of lithium and implications for the formation of world-class hard rock, sedimentary, and brine deposits. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. Washington, District of Columbia.

  • Benson, T.R., Coble, M.A., and Mahood, G.A. (2017). Lithium deposits hosted in intracontinental rhyolitic calderas. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • Coble, M.A., and Benson, T.R. (2017). Variations in the boron isotopic composition of the Yellowstone hotspot identified through in situ SHRIMP-RG analysis of quartz-hosted melt inclusions. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • Benson, T.R., Borchardt, J.S., Coble, M.A., and Mahood, G.A. (2017). New constraints on the giant radiating dike swarm at initiation of the Yellowstone hotspot through geological mapping and high-precision 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of contemporaneous calderas. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 49, 6.

  • Borchardt, J.S., Benson, T.R., and Mahood, G.A. (2017). Newly delineated calderas at the Hawks Valley-Lone Mountain center in southeastern Oregon are the oldest known associated with Steens flood basalts and the impingement of the Yellowstone plume. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 49, 6.

  • Benson, T.R. (2017). Large lithium deposits hosted in intracontinental rhyolitic calderas. IAVCEI Scientific Assembly. Portland, Oregon.

  • Benson, T.R., and G.A. Mahood (2016). A tale of two swarms: mapping of calderas and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology delineate two distinct Steens Basalt fissure systems. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. San Francisco, California.

  • Benson, T.R., G.A. Mahood, M.A. Coble, and M.J. Grove (2016). New geological mapping and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology demonstrate that rhyolite volcanism mirrors northward propagation of Mid-Miocene Columbia River Flood Basalts. GSA Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Moscow, Idaho.

  • Mahood, G.A., and T.R. Benson (2016). 40Ar/39Ar ages on intercalated silicic tuffs provide precise ages for Steens Basalt lavas: implications for flood basalt effusion rates, relation to Miocene Climatic Optimum, and the age of the Steens Geomagnetic Reversal. GSA Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Moscow, Idaho.

  • Benson, T.R., G.A. Mahood, and M.A. Coble (2015). Controls on the enrichment of energy-critical elements (Li, Ga, REE) in weakly peralkaline magmas of the Mid-Miocene McDermitt Volcanic Field, Oregon and Nevada, based on in situ SHRIMP-RG analyses of quartz-hosted melt inclusions. GSA Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland.

  • Benson, T.R., G.A. Mahood (2015). The Oldest Known Caldera Associated with the Yellowstone Hotspot: New Geologic Mapping, Geochemisty, and 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology for the Northern McDermitt Volcanic Field, Northern Nevada and Southeastern Oregon. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. San Francisco, California.

  • Benson, T.R., G.A. Mahood, and M.A. Coble (2014). Magmatic enrichments of energy-critical elements Li, Ga, and REE in rhyolites of McDermitt Volcanic Field, High Rock Caldera Complex, and Buff Peak identified by in situ SHRIMP-RG analysis of melt inclusions in quartz. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 46, No. 6, p. 826.

  • Benson, T.R., G.A. Mahood (2014). New geologic perspectives on the mid-Miocene Lake Owyhee Volcanic Field, Oregon. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 46, No. 5, p. 89.

  • Benson, T.R., G.A. Mahood, and M.J. Grove (2013). New geologic and geochronologic data on the Lake Owyhee Volcanic Field, Oregon: a silicic center contemporaneous with flood basalt volcanism. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 45, No. 6, p. 14.

  • Benson, T.R., G.A. Mahood, and M.A. Coble (2013). An intense 16.5-16.0 Ma episode of rhyolitic volcanism associated with flood basalt dike emplacement at McDermitt Caldera Field and High Rock Caldera Complex, Nevada and Oregon. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. San Francisco, California.

  • Benson, T.R., M.R. van Baalen (2012). Thermal properties of New Hampshire rocks for geothermal exploration. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 44, No. 2, p. 77.

  • Benson, T.R., M.N. Toksöz and H. Zhang (2011). Temperature Characterization of the Cove Fort-Sulphurdale Geothermal Field, European Geothermal PhD Day Conference, Reykjavík, Iceland. (First place award for best poster)

  • Toksöz, M.N., H. Zhang, T.R. Benson and A. Rael (2010). Geothermal Resources Exploration and Assessment around the Cove Fort-Sulphurdale Geothermal Field in Utah by Multiple Geophysical Imaging, Trans. Geothermal Resources Council, 34.

  • Benson, T.R. and M.R. van Baalen (2009). Using GIS to evaluate the feasibility of geothermal energy use in New Hampshire, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 41, No. 3.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

  • Geology of the Thacker Pass deposit in the McDermitt Caldera, Nevada: The largest and highest-grade known sedimentary lithium resource in the United States. Critical Minerals Symposium (2021).

  • The origin of the Thacker Pass lithium deposit, the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Geological Society of Nevada Symposium (2020).

  • From supervolcanoes to salars: the role of volcanism in forming the world’s largest lithium deposits. Litio en la Región de Sudamérica Conference (2019).

  • The volatility of lithium and implications for the formation of world-class hard rock, sedimentary, and brine deposits. City Univeristy of New York Seminar (2018).

  • The McDermitt Caldera, Nevada: Geology and origin of the largest lithium deposit in the United States. Geological Society of Nevada Winnemucca Chapter Meeting (2018).

  • Energy-critical element resources in silicic caldera settings. Stanford University Mineral Resources Symposium (2017).

  • Lithium enrichment in intracontinental rhyolite magmas leads to large Li clay deposits in caldera basins. American Exploration and Mining Association Annual Meeting (2017).

  • Geochronology and geochemistry of silicic tuffs intercalated with flood basalt lavas and implications for the impact of volcanism on global climate. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Geodynamics Seminar (2017).

  • Magmatic enrichment of lithium and implications for lithium deposits in caldera settings. VolcaNYC Symposium (2017).

  • Lithium enrichment in rhyolite magmas associated with the Columbia River flood basalt. United States Geological Survey, Volcanic Hazards & Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Seminar (2017).

  • The first Yellowstone supervolcanic eruptions and implications for Li and REE deposits. Harvard University, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (2016).

  • Owyhee River intracanyon lava flows: Does the river give a dam? Friends of the Pleistocene field trip guest lecture (2012).

  • Geothermal resource assessment at the Cove Fort-Sulphurdale Geothermal Field, Utah using double difference tomography. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (2011

research fellowships, grants, and awards

  • National Science Foundation EAR Postdoctoral Fellowship (Awarded Spring 2018)

  • U.S. Geological Survey-Stanford University Graduate Fellowship (Summer 2016 - Summer 2017)

  • Department of Defense NDSEG Fellowship (Fall 2012 - Summer 2015)

  • United States Geological Survey EDMAP Grant (Summer 2015)

  • GSA Penrose Student Research Grant (Spring 2014)

  • AGU Outstanding Student Presentation Award (Fall 2015)

  • Stanford University Centennial Teaching Award (Summer 2016)

  • GSA MGPV Student Research Award (Fall 2014)

  • European Geothermal PhD Presentation Award (Spring 2011)

teaching and mentorship experience

  • Thesis committee member for MS students at the University of Nevada-Reno and the University of Ottowa.

  • Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University (current).

  • Mentor for undergraduate students Emily Williams (Stanford), Maxine Luckett (Stanford), Rachel Hampton (Harvard), and masters student Jackson Borchardt (Stanford) in field and laboratory studies (Summer 2012 - Summer 2017).

  • Guest lecturer in Volcanology at Stanford University (Spring 2014).

  • Guest lecturer in Petrology at Stanford University (Spring 2016).

  • Teaching Assistant for Volcanology (Winter 2012, Fall 2015), California Desert Geology Field Course (Winter 2015), Petrology (Spring 2016), Introduction to Geology (Spring 2012), Mineralogy (Fall 2011).

  • Co-led Harvard undergraduate field trip to the Big Island, Hawaii (2014).

leadership experience

  • Founding member and president of the Stanford Economic Geology Association (2012 – 2017), a student chapter of the Society of Economic Geologists.

  • Invited Chair, Igneous Petrology discipline section, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (2015).

  • Selected student liaison to the MGPV Division of the Geological Society of America (2014-2016).

  • Selected member of the inaugural Student Affairs Committee of the Geological Society of America (2014-2016).