site last updated February 2, 2010

LINKS: [Vita] [Publications and Reprints] [Abstracts] [Courses and Field Trips]

RESEARCH
Much of my current research is focused on the tectonic evolution of convergent wedges. We have active projects in several modern convergent wedges, including the Apennines of northern Italy, the Hellenic subduction wedge as exposed in Crete, Greece; and the Cascadia subduction wedge in western Washington State. The main objective is to understand the interplay between accretion, erosion, and wedge growth. Our tools are structural geology, thermochronology, geomorphology, and tectonic synthesis. Both the Apennines and Hellenic wedges show evidence of pervasive horizontal extension in the direction of convergence. Our work indicates that both slab rollback and deep accretion (underplating) are significant factors in driving this synconvergent extension. Other active research include using detrital thermochronology to study the exhumational history of the European Alps, and using leaf shape analysis to estimate mean annual temperature and terrane offset along the western margin of North America. We are just starting a new project to study the interplay between glacial erosion and wedge growth in the Patagonian Andes. The goal is to test the "glacial buzz saw" hypothesis, which states that alpine glaciers control the upper limit of the orogenic topography in the Andes.

GRADUATE STUDENTS
Devin McPhillips 2005-present, Ph.D. student, thermochronology and tectonic evolution of Sierra Nevada and Swiss Alps
Keith Ma (nee Laskowski) 2007-present, Ph.D. student, glacial erosion in the Patagonian Andes
Chris Thissen 2008-present, Ph.D. student, deformation processes in convergent orogens
Elizabeth Brown 2010-present, Ph.D. student, geomorphology and active tectonics

FORMER ASSOCIATES
Madalyn Blondes Ph.D. 2009, mantle melting as imaged by monogenic basaltic vents in eastern California; now Research Associate at University of Maryland
Cristian Vasquez, 2007, visiting from University of Chile, Santiago; thermochronology in the Southern Andes, He and FT dating
Stuart Thomson Post-doc 2003-2008, thermochronology, Apennines of Italy, Southern Andes, He and FT dating; now Associate Research Scientist at University of Arizona
Ian Miller Ph.D. 2006, student, paleofloral estimates of tectonic offset for Baja British Columbia; now Curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
James Stevenson Ph.D. 2006, melting of eclogites, Tromso nappe, northern Norway; now Coal Strategist at Louis Dreyfus Highbridge Energy
Nicole Gasparini Post-doc 2003-2005, geomorphology and surface processes; now Assistant Professor at Tulane University
Jeremy Hourigan Post-doc 2003-2005, Thermochronology, geochronology, and tectonics in Kamchatka and Apennines; now Assistant Professor at UC Santa Cruz
Jeff Rahl Ph.D. 2005, tectonics of the Hellenic subduction wedge; now Assistant Professor, Washington and Lee University
Jonathan Tomkin Post-doc 2000-2002, geodynamics and surface process modeling; now Associate Director, School of Earth , Society, & Environment, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champain
Matthias Bernet Ph.D. 2002, detrital thermochronology and tectonics; now Assistant Professor at University of Grenoble, France
Geoff Batt Post doc 1997-2000, thermochronology and tectonics; now Associate Professor at University of Western Australia
Jessica Graybill M.Sc. 2000, tectonics; now Assistant Professor in Geography, at Colgate College
Meinert Rahn Post-doc 1997-1998, fission-track dating and tectonics; now at Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate
Meg Coleman Post-doc 1997, thermochronology and tectonics; now faculty in Marine Education at Southern Maine Community College
Jeff Feehan Ph.D. 1997, stain analysis and fluid flow in Late Cretaceous San Juan-Cascades thrust system; now fully devoted to wind surfing
Martin Olsen Ph.D. 1996, experimental deformation of porous sandstones; now a Exploration Geophysist working for Aspect Energy in Budapest, Hungary
Frank Pazzaglia Post-doc 1993-1994, tectonic geomorphology; now Professor at Lehigh University
Uwe Ring Post-doc 1993-1994, structural geology and tectonics; now Associate Professor at University of Canterbury, New Zealand

SOFTWARE: [BinomFit] [Thermochronology programs] [Deformation-analysis programs] [Deconvolution program]

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