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Kirt Kempter

Kirt Kempter is a geologist and large-format photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A Fulbright Fellow, his research into plate tectonics has led him around the world—from volcanic fields in Costa Rica and Mexico to the frosty landscapes of the Canadian Rockies and Iceland. Kirt’s publications include numerous academic articles and geologic maps, and his panoramic images are on display at several museums and national parks, such as the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and the visitor’s center at Death Valley. Kirt has conducted fieldwork on a National Geographic-funded project and, over the past decade, led many National Geographic Expeditions trips to the western US national parks. He received his doctorate in geology from The University of Texas at Austin.

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