John F. Bender Professor OFFICE: 331 McEniry PHONE: 704-687-5956 E-MAIL: jfbender@uncc.edu HOMEPAGE: SHORT VITAE: To be added later

For the past twenty years my research endeavors have primarily focused on understanding the production and volcanological characteristics of lavas erupted at mid oceanic spreading centers. Trace element and isotopic analysis of samples collected from the seafloor are used to specifically evaluate magma production and extraction mechanisms, and the spatial and temporal chemical variability of recently erupted melts.

I have been a chief or co-chief scientist on three NSF funded research cruises and have been an active participant with several other oceanic expeditions. In addition to these oceanic sampling investigations, I have extensively mapped, photographed, and geophysically surveyed active magmatic centers on the seafloor. These approximately month long cruises included numerous graduate and undergraduate students as active participants. UNC Charlotte students are also actively involved in the shore-based curation and chemical analysis of the recovered samples.