Dr. Sjostrom grew up in the Seattle area and spent many summer weekends camping and hiking in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. He first took a geology course as a sophomore at the University of Washington and was fortunate to take the field course very early in his academic career. For his master's thesis at the University of Montana, Dr. Sjostrom studied the Mesozoic tectonics of central Asia as recorded in sedimentary deposits and spent two field season in remote parts of Mongolia. Dr. Sjostrom shifted gears a bit both in location and research focus for his Ph.D. at Dartmouth College and studied the paleoclimate and tectonics of the Rocky Mountains using both stable isotope geochemistry and field-based geology. After graduating from Dartmouth in 2002, he held teaching positions at the University of Montana, the University of Alaska Anchorage.

 Dr. Sjostrom's primary research interests involve the exploration of the connections between tectonics and climate as recorded in sedimentary rocks and geochemical proxies. In addition, over the past few years, he has branched out a bit beyond geology and has used stable isotope geochemistry to study modern precipitation dynamics, nutrient cycling, and human modifications of natural ecosystems. Currently, Dr. Sjostrom is involved in an National Science Foundation (NSF)-Continental Dynamics initiative to study the uplift history of the Hangay Plateau in central Mongolia (more information about this project can be found at this link). He also received an NSF-REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) to include RMC students in this field-based research. Dr. Sjostrom always incorporates abundant field-work in all of his projects and he is excited to be back in Montana, where relevant geologic research is possible right outside the door.