Zachary Kornse

zkornse@iastate.edu

I am an undergraduate senior studying geology and computer science at Iowa State University. I am working with Dr. Jacqueline Reber this semester to better understand how different materials fracture to varying stresses and pressures. I am currently using a Hele-Shaw cell and Carbopol® (a cross-polymer acrylate commonly used in hair gel) to simulate material with the complex rheologies found at depth within the crust. I hope to understand how and why material fractures when given specific physical properties and subject to varying conditions.