Meet Mark Behn
Mark Behn
Assistant Scientist
Geology and Geophysics Department
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Video interview with
Dr. Mark Behn,
geologist.
Video (4:45) 
Role in the expedition?
I'm involved with putting out a network of seismometers around the
lakes we're studying in Greenland. On land, we use these instruments
to measure earthquakes, and we can do a very similar thing to track
movement in ice, or what we call icequakes. One of the processes that
we’re trying to record with the seismometers is how and where cracking
occurs under these lakes, and how cracks open up and propagate through
the ice.
Why I do what I do?
I became interested in geology as an undergraduate at Bates college.
Most of the classes involved doing field work outdoors. One of my
favorite was a course on geologic mapping of the Maine coastline by
sea kayak. I realized that I could combine scientific research with
my love of the outdoors. In my research at WHOI I continue to
participate in field work that takes me to many exciting places such
as Greenland, Hawaii, and Costa Rica (all in the next 6 months).
Where did I grow up?
Durham, North Carolina.
What were my favorite and least favorite things about school?
I enjoyed lab classes, where you actually got to see how things
worked; as opposed to just listening to a teacher tell you how they
were supposed to work. My least favorite subject was foreign
languages. Sadly, I took 6 years of Spanish and now barely remember
any.
