I recently moved to WSU for a post-doctorate position in the McCloy group, where I investigate the structural effects of REE-doped UO₂ on dissolution. I am an Upper Peninsula of Michigan native (we say “yooper”) and grew up in a small mining town called Ishpeming. In 2012, I obtained a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Michigan Technological University, and I am a recent (2017) Ph.D. recipient from the University of Notre Dame, where I focused on the mineralogy and crystal chemistry of uranium and neptunium. My research interests include structure-property relationships of actinide materials, using spectroscopic, X-ray diffraction, and neutron scattering techniques to study them at various length scales. During my work as a mineralogist I have discovered and named 12 new minerals, many of which contain uranium. Outside of work I enjoy being outdoors, snowboarding, astronomy, mineral collecting, and mineral photography. My email is travis.olds@wsu.edu.

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Travis_Olds

Pictures from my mineral collection: https://www.mindat.org/user-8894.html

New minerals:

• paddlewheelite (IMA2017-098 pending acceptance)

MgCa₅Cu₂(UO₂)₄(CO₃)₁₂(H₂O)₃₃, Svornost mine, Jáchymov Ore district, Western Bohemia, Czech Republic

• hydroxylpyromorphite (IMA2017-075)

Pb₅(PO₄)₃(OH), Copps mine, Gogebic County, Michigan, USA

• ammoniozippeite (IMA2017-073)

(NH₄)₂[(UO₂)₂(SO₄)O₂](H₂O), Markey mine, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan County, Utah, USA

• finchite (IMA2017-052)

Sr(UO₂)₂(V₂O₈)(H₂O)₅, Sulfur Springs Draw, Martin County, Texas, USA

• feynmanite (IMA2017-035)

Na(UO₂)(SO₄)(OH)(H₂O)_3.5, Blue Lizard mine, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan County, Utah, USA

• kroupaite (IMA2017-031)

KPb_0.5[(UO₂)₈O₄(OH)₁₀](H₂O)₁₀, Svornost mine, Jáchymov Ore district, Western Bohemia, Czech Republic

• shinkolobweite (IMA2016-095)

Pb_1.25[U^V(H₂O)₂(UO₂)₅O₈(OH)₂](H₂O)₅, Shinkolobwe mine, Shaba Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa

• redcanyonite (IMA2016-082)

(NH₄)₂Mn[(UO₂)₄O₄(SO₄)₂](H₂O)₄, Blue Lizard mine, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan County, Utah, USA

• leesite (IMA2016-064)

K(H₂O)₂[(UO₂)₄O₂(OH)₅](H₂O)₃ from the Jomac Mine, White Canyon District, San Juan County, Utah

• ewingite (IMA2016-012)

Mg₈Ca₈(UO₂)₂₄(CO₃)₃₀O₄(OH)₁₂(H₂O)₁₃₈, Plavno Mine, Jáchymov ore district, Western Bohemia, Czech Republic

• gauthierite (IMA2016-004)

KPb[(UO₂)₇O₅(OH)₇](H₂O)₈, Shinkolobwe mine, Shaba Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa

• leószilárdite (IMA2015-128)

Na₆Mg[(UO₂)(CO₃)₃]₂(H₂O)₆, Markey mine, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan County, Utah, USA