Sarah Jonathan

Sarah Jonathan is a geologist who focuses on geomorphology and landscape evolution. Her research uses a combination of field work, GIS, and geochemistry to study soil production, weathering, and erosion in steep landscapes and how these processes are controlled by climate and tectonics. Prior to joining Hamilton College, Jonathan earned her bachelor’s degree in geology from Macalester College, master’s in geosciences from Boston College, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in geosciences at Pennsylvania State University.

Research Interests

Erosion and weathering in steep, rocky landscapes, landscape evolution, geomorphology, lake sediment chronology, hydrology

Distinctions

• Penn State Krynine Award (2021, 2022, 2025)
• Marathon Alumni Centennial Graduate Fellowship, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Penn State (2020–2021)
• Environmental Scholar, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Penn State (2020–2021)
• Donald J. White Teaching Excellence Award, Boston College (2020)
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention (2020)
• Summer Research Fellowship, Boston College (2019)

Selected Publications

• Jonathan, S.R., DiBiase, R., Bierman, P., Corbet, L. Expression of climate and rock strength on rocky hillslope morphology and erosion rates (in prep)
• Jonathan, S.R., Snyder, N., Cook, T. Using lake core organic matter to inform high resolution age-depth models (in prep)

Appointed to the Faculty

2026

Educational Background

Ph.D. Candidate, Pennsylvania State University
M.Sc., Boston College
B.A., Macalester College

Dissertation

Unraveling the controls on erosion and weathering in steep, rocky landscapes