Associate Professor Karin Barovich

Biography/ Background

Doctor Karin Barovich received a BSc(Geological Engineering) from the Colorado School of Mines, in Golden, Colorado. She then completed a MSc degree at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, Colorado. Her PhD was completed at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, Arizona, in 1991. She worked in geochemistry and the use of radiogenic isotopes and elements like Lu and Hf, to study early Earth crustal growth.

After a three-year postdoctoral position in Madison, Wisconsin, her husband was transferred to Australia, and not surprisingly, Karin followed after one year to be with him.

Karin started as an Associate Lecturer at the University of Adelaide in 2002, and is now an Associate Professor.

Teaching Interests

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Undergraduate Teaching

Karin is the first year coordinator for semester 2 level I geology in Geology and Geophysics. The Discipline offers two geology subjects at Level I.

Earth Systems I is a course about how the earth works, from the outside in. Right now, one of the most important topics that we study in the course is "global warming" and climate change. Because geologists understand the past, they are the most qualified discipline to assess any future ramifications of our changing climate. She also teaches the last 6 weeks of the course. She coordinates Earth's Interior, a course about how the earth works, from the inside out. What causes earthquakes? Can we predict them? Why is Australia so rich in mineral and energy resources? Put simply, geology is the study of the Earth and geologists study the Earth. Lots of disciplines touch on various aspects of how Earth works, but only geologists study everything, about our planet. She teaches 6 weeks of this course.

Course Comments
Below are some of the student evaluation comments for the two Level I geology courses. These comments and evaluations are collected by the instructor at the end of the semester. Comments are reproduced in their entirety as written by the student and are in no particular order. Opinions, views or grammatical errors are those of the student and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the instructor or the University of Adelaide.

The lecturers are awesome - they are really into the course material.The material we learn is really good. Dr. Barovich has boundless enthusiasm for her work and topic that is almost unavoidably contagious. It has the effect of stimulating interest due to her intelligent presentation.

The practicals are a fun and informative way to learn. The excursion - it "rocked"!

She is easy to understand and explains things in a way that make the details stick in my mind. She also makes the lectures interesting and not something that you can fall asleep in.

The field trips were great for hands on experience and fueled my interest by learning outside the lecture rooms.

To do these courses and others in Geology and Geophysics, enrol in the flagship course in the Faculty of Science - the Bachelor of Science http://www.adelaide.edu.au/programs/ug/prog/sciences/#sci

 

Research Interests

Her research interests centre on the use of isotopic variations of elements such as Hf, Nd, Sr, and Pb to understand the origin and chemical evolution of the Earth and using radiogenic isotopes to determine the ages of rocks and geological events.

Karin is a member of the Tectonics, Resources and Exploration Centre (TRaX) - http://www.adelaide.edu.au/trax/

Doctor Karin Barovich's current research focuses on Precambrian geology and crustal evolution with the goal of improving our understanding of the processes by which the continental crust has separated from the mantle and the processes which have affected the chemical growth and stability of this crust. This research relies heavily on accurate geochronological studies (primarily U-Pb mineral ages) combined with whole rock elemental (major and trace elements) and isotopic data (U-Pb, Rb-Sr, and Sm-Nd) that can be used to trace the overall evolutionary path of individual crustal segments.

Australia hosts some of the most extensive Archaean to Proterozoic crustal terranes in the world. They provide a natural laboratory for the study of Precambrian geochemical crustal evolution. Major research activities at this time are centred on the Archaean and Proterozoic rocks of southern Australia. Many projects involve collaboration with other scientists.

Publications

(since 2008)

Dart, R., Barovich, K., Hill, S. and Chittleborough, D. 2012.  Sr-isotopes as a tracer of Ca sources and mobility in profiles hosting regolith carbonates from southern Australia.  Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 59, 373-382. 

Lambeck, A., Barovich, K., George, A., Cross, A., Huston, D. and Meixner, T.  2012.  Proterozoic turbiditic depositional system (Tanamic Group) in the Tanami region, northern Australia, and implications for gold mineralisation.  Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 59, 383-397.

Wade, C., Reid, A., Wingate, M., Jagodzinski, E. and Barovich K.  2012.  Geochemistry and geochronoloyg of the ca 1585 Ma Benagerie Volcanic Suite, southern Australia:  Relationship to the Gawler Range Volcanics and implications for the petrogenesis of a Mesoproterozoic silicic large igneous province.  Precambrian Research 206, 17-35. 

Lambeck, A., Barovich, K., Gibson, G., Huston, D. and Pisarevsky, S. 2012.  An abrupt change in Nd isotopic composition in Australian basins at 1655 Ma:  Implications for the tectonic evolution of Australia and its place in NUNA.  Precambrian Research 208, 213-221.

Szpunar, M., Hand, M., Barovich, K., Jagodinski, E., Belousova, E. 2011.  Isotopic and geochemical constraints on the Paleoproterozoic Hutchison Group, southern Australia: Implications for Paleoproterozoic continental reconstructions.  PRecambrian Research 187, 99-126.

Howard, K., Hand, M., Barovich, K., Payne, J., and Belousova, E. 2011. U–Pb, Lu–Hf and Sm–Nd isotopic constraints on provenance and depositional timing of metasedimentary rocks in the western Gawler Craton: Implications for Proterozoic reconstruction models. Precambrian Research 184, 43-62.

Howard, K., Hand, M., Barovich, K., and Belousova, E., 2011.  Provenance of late Paleoproterozoic cover sequences in the central Gawler Craton: Exploring stratigraphic correlations in eastern Proterozoic Australia using detrital zircon ages, Hf and Nd isotopic data. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 58, 475-500.

Howard, K., Hand, M., Barovich, K., Payne, J., Cutts, K., Belousova, E., 2011.   U-Pb zircon, zircon Hf and whole-rock Sm-Nd isotopic constraints on the evolution of Paleoproterozoic rocks in the northern Gawler Craton. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 58, 615-638.

Halverson, G., Wade, B., Hurtgen, M., and Barovich, K.,  2010.  Neoproterozoic Chemostratigraphy. Precambrian Research 182, 337-350

Lambeck, A., Huston, D., and Barovich, K., 2010.  Typecasting prospective Au-bearing sedimentary lithologies using sedimentary geochemistry and Nd isotopes in poorly exposed Proterozoic basins of the Tanami region, Northern Australia.  Mineralium Deposita 45, 497-515.

 Payne, J.L., Ferris, G.M., Barovich, K.M. & Hand, M., 2010. Pitfalls of classifying ancient magmatic suites with tectonic discrimination diagrams: An example from the Paleoproterozic Tunkillia Suite, Gawler Craton, Australia. Precambrian Research 177, 227-240. 

Payne, J.L., Hand, M., Barovich, K.M., Reid, A. &  Evans, D.A.D., 2009. A global context for the Palaeoproterozoic evolution of the Mawson Continent. In: Reddy, S.M., Mazumder, R., Evans, D.A.D. & Collins, A.S. (eds) Palaeoproterozoic Supercontinents and Global Evolution. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 323, 319-356.

Howard, K., Hand, M., Barovich, K., Reid, A., Wade, B., Belousova, E.,  2009.  Detrital zircon ages: Improving interpretation via Nd and Hf isotopic data.  Chemical Geology 262, 293-308.

Payne, J.L. Hand, M., Barovich, K.M. & Wade, B.P., 2008. Temporal Constraints on the timing of high-grade metamorphism in the northern Gawler Craton: implications for assembly of the Australian Proterozoic.  Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 55,623-640.

Skirrow, R, Bastrakov, E, Barovich, K, Fraser, G, Creaser R., Fanning C., Raymond, O and Davidson, G. 2008.  The Olympic iron oxide copper-gold province: timing of hydrothermal activity, sources of metals and the role of magmatism. Economic Geology 102, 1441-1470.

Payne, J., Hand, M. Barovich K. and Wade, B. 2008.   Temporal constraints on the timing of high-grade metamorphism in the northern Gawler Craton: implications for assembly of the Australian Proterozoic. Aust. J Earth Sciences 55, 623-640.

Barovich, K and Hand, M. 2008.  Tectonic setting and provenance of the Paleoproterozoic Willyama Supergroup, Curnamona Province, Australia: Geochemical and Nd isotopic constraints on contrasting source terrain components. Precambrian Research 166, 318-337.

Swain, G., Barovich, K.M., Hand M. Ferris, G. and Schwarz, M. 2008.  Petrogenesis of the St Peter Suite, southern Australia:Arc magmatism and Proterozoic crustal growth of the South Australian Craton. Precambrian Research 166, 283-296.

 

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 4 Dec 2012