University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown

Ryan J Kerrigan, PhD

  • Department Chair and Associate Professor of Energy & Earth Resources

Short Biography:

Dr. Ryan Kerrigan graduated from Bridgewater State University with a B.S. in Geology and B.A. in Chemistry before attending the University of Minnesota for his M.S. in mineralogy/petrology. Dr. Kerrigan moved to the University of Maryland to complete his Ph.D. in experimental petrology. After his Ph.D., Dr. Kerrigan spent four years in the private sector completing environmental site assessments and remediation projects where he earned his Professional Geologist’s license. In the Fall of 2014 Dr. Kerrigan joined the faculty at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and in 2020 became an Associate Professor of Geology and Departmental Coordinator for the Energy and Earth Resources Department.   Dr. Kerrigan’s current research interests include: pedagogy in the geological sciences, hydrothermal alteration of ultramafic/mafic rocks, provenance of orogenic emplacement formations, and geology of the central Appalachian Piedmont.

 

Education:

BS (Geology), BA (Chemistry), Bridgewater State University
MS University of Minnesota
PhD University of Maryland

 

Courses Taught:

GEOL-0015 Physical Geology
GEOL-0061 Historical Geology
GEOL-0092 Geology of National Parks
GEOL-0093 Geology and Cinema
GEOL-0200 Geodynamics   
GEOL-0220 Fossil Fuels
GEOL-1000 Mineralogy
GEOL-1004 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
GEOL-1090 Geochemistry
GEOL-1108 Report Writing
GEOL-1110 Structural Geology

 

 

 

Education & Training

  • BS, BA Bridgewater State University
  • MS University of Minnesota
  • PhD (2011) University of Maryland

Representative Publications

Kerrigan, R. J., Shirley, B. B., and Wolff, O. N. (2020) Petrogenesis and Interactions of Serpentinites Intruded by Pegmatite Dikes, Unionville Serpentine Barrens, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Geological Survey, General Geology Reports.


Kerrigan, R. J., Mengason, M. J., and *Simboli, L.N. (2017) Petrology and Geochemistry of the Bells Mill Road Ultramafic Body, Philadelphia, PA. in Bosbyshell, H. and Srogi, L. (eds.), 2017 Geological Association of New Jersey Annual Conference and Field Trip, West Chester, Pennsylvania, pp. 16-29. 


Bosbyshell, H., Srogi, L., Blackmer, G.C., Schenck, S., and Kerrigan, R. J. (2017) The Piedmont: Old Rocks, New Understandings. in Bosbyshell, H. and Srogi, L. (eds.), 2017 Geological Association of New Jersey Annual Conference and Field Trip, West Chester, Pennsylvania, pp. 77-105. 


Kerrigan, R. J., Candela, P. A., Piccoli, P. M., Frank, M. R., and Wylie, A. G. (2017)  Olivine + quartz + water ± HCl at mid-crustal conditions: Controls on the growth of fibrous talc as determined from hydrothermal diamond anvil cell experiments, Canadian Mineralogist, v. 55, n. 1, pp. 101-113.


Kerrigan, R. J., (2016), Structural Geology of the Southwestern Section of the Appalachian Plateau. in Anthony, R. (ed.), Energy and Environments: Geology in the ‘Nether World’ of Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Guidebook, 81st Annual Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists, Indiana, Pennsylvania, pp. 3-10. 

Division

Academic Programs