She is a 2012 MacArthur Fellow and member of the National Academy of Sciences.[1][2] Her most prominent work involves the crystal chemistry of lava minerals (mostly olivines) in order to determine magma ages and movement, giving clues to how quickly magma can surface as lava in volcanoes. Most notably, Plank is known for her work establishing a stronger link between the subduction of ocean sediments and volcanism at ocean arcs. Her current work can be seen at her website.[3] Plank states that her interest in volcanoes began when her Dartmouth professor took her and other students to Arenal volcano in Costa Rica.