Growing up in Lake County, Cole developed an early appreciation for the diverse landscapes surrounding Clear Lake. Exploring the region sparked the first curiosity about the natural world that later evolved into a passion for understanding Earth's history and the geological processes that have shaped its surface over millions of years.

Cole is currently completing a Bachelor of Science in Geology at the University of California, Davis, after earning an Associate of Science in Natural Sciences from Woodland Community College. His research focuses on integrating geochronology, geochemistry, and field geology to reconstruct ancient landscapes and better understand the evolution of Earth's crust and surface.

For his undergraduate senior thesis, Cole is investigating the timing and tectonic relationships between two Mesozoic (66-251 Ma) volcanic arcs in the Sierra Nevada foothills. In addition to his thesis research, he has contributed to projects examining magma chamber architecture of the Yellowstone Caldera leading up to eruptions and helped develop a geologic age database for conservation paleobiology research project exploring the environmental drivers of Cenozoic (present-66 Ma) oyster communities.

Through both field and laboratory-based research, Cole enjoys combining multiple lines of geologic evidence to address questions about Earth's past and the processes that continue to shape our planet.