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Academic and research staff

Ordered chronologically, latest to leave are listed first. Some Academic staff that have retired have continued on as Emeritus professors, for the purposes of this list they are listed by date retired.

2023


Steve Smith smDr Steven A F Smith

MSci PhD(Durh)

  • Structure and mechanical  properties of fault zones
  • Fault rock microstructure
  • Deformation experiments
  • Structural Geology

2022


Dr Marianne Negrini imageDr Marianne Negrini

MSc(Zurich) PhD(Tromsø)

Electron Beam Data Technician


Dr Cathy G Rufaut imageDr Cathy G Rufaut

Dip. Wildlife Management(Otago) MSc(Victoria) PhD(Otago)

  • Geo-ecology, botany, zoology
  • Mine environmental issues
  • Land rehabilitation
  • Project management and outreach

Amber Coste image 2021Dr Amber Coste

MSci (Southampton)

  • Cetacean palaeobiology
  • Anatomy and functional morphology
  • Cetacean systematics and phylogeny

Google Scholar Amber Coste


Sheng_Fan image 2021Dr Sheng Fan

PhD(Otago)

  • Ice microstructure and mechanics
  • Ice deformation (creep) experiments
  • Cryogenic electron backscatter diffraction (cryo-EBSD) and fabric analyzer
  • Cryo-seismology

Google Scholar Sheng Fan
ResearchGate: Sheng Fan
ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0404-1374


Sophie Gangl image smallDr Sophie K Gangl

MSc(BOKU, Vienna) PhD(Otago)

  • Heavy isotope geochemistry
  • Trace element geochemistry
  • Palaeoclimatology

GemmaKerr thumbnailDr Gemma Kerr

BSc(Hons)(St Andrews) PhD(Otago)

  • Geochemistry/X-ray Lab Technician
  • Geochemical processes in human impacted environments
  • Environmental / low temperature geochemistry and mineralogy
  • Alluvial gold deposits

Google Scholar Gemma Kerr

2021


Dr Jon Lindquist ImageDr Jon Lindquist

MSc PhD(Otago)

  • Sedimentology and ichnology
  • On-land southern NZ Cretaceous–Tertiary basin stratigraphy

Damian Walls ImageDamian Walls

MSc(Otago)

Department Administrator, Safety Officer, Lab Manager, Geochemistry/X-ray Lab Technician


Rosie_Cole ImageDr Rosie Cole

MSci(Durham) PhD(Otago)

  • Volcanology
  • Dyke propagation

Google Scholar Rosie P Cole
ArtFisH research


Matt Tarling thumbnailDr Matthew Tarling

BSc(McGill) PhD(Otago)

  • Structural Geology
  • Serpentinite fault rocks
  • Raman spectroscopy of serpentinite
  • Experimental petrology

Google Scholar Matthew S Tarling
ORCID orcid.org/0000-0002-9235-5348

2020


Tobias DurigDr Tobias Dürig

Dipl. phys., Dr. rer. nat.(Wurzburg)

  • Experimental volcanology
  • Generation processes of volcanic ash
  • Magma-water interaction
  • Ash plume dynamics

Google Scholar Tobias Dürig

2019


Erin ToddDr Erin Todd

Postdoctoral Fellow
BS (Penn State University), PhD (University of California Santa Cruz)

  • Seismotectonics
  • Earthquake seismology
  • Geodynamic modelling

2014


Matt Sagar smDr Matt Sagar

Teaching fellow
BscHons, PhD(Otago)

Left late 2014

While at Otago:

  • 100- and 200-level teaching (EAOS111, GEOL112 and GEOL252)
  • U-Pb geochronology
  • 40Ar/39Ar and fission-track thermochronology
  • New Zealand tectonics

2013


Steve KidderDr Steven Kidder

Post Doctoral Fellow
B.S. (Univ. of Minnesota), M.S. (Univ. of Arizona)
Ph.D. (Caltech)

Left late 2013

While at Otago Steve researched:

  • Structural geology
  • lithospheric rheology
  • tectonics
  • deformation mechanisms and microstructures

Contact details: www.StevenKidderGeologist.com


Martin JutzelerDr Martin Jutzeler

Post Doctoral Fellow
MSc (Lausanne), PhD (Tasmania)

Left in 2013

While at Otago Martin researched:

  • Explosive subaqueous eruptions
  • Volcaniclastic sedimentology

Contact details:jutzeler@gmail.com

2012


Dushan JugumDr Dushan Jugum

MSc BSc   (Auckland) PhD(Otago)

Left in 2012

While at Otago Dushan was in charge of:

  • Teaching laboratories stages 1–3
  • Teaching field trips stages 1–2

Contact details: dushan@geology.co.nz

2011


Richard Norris smEmeritus Professor Richard J Norris

MA DPhil(Oxon) FGS FRSNZ

Retired in 2011, Passed away in 2016

Research interests(while at Otago):

  • structural geology and tectonics
  • neotectonics, paleoseismology, Alpine Fault structure
  • NZ Cenozoic tectonics & basin evolution
  • deformation in the Haast Schists

2010


Phaedra UptonDr Phaedra Upton

DipGrad, PhD(Otago)
BSc (Canterbury)

Research interests(while at Otago):

  • Active deformation in the Southern Alps of New Zealand
  • Regional studies of fault mechanics and anisotropy in the Otago Schist
  • Mechanical investigations of the Macraes Mine
  • Fluid flow in ancient and modern orogenic belts
  • Interaction between erosion and tectonics, projects in Taiwan and the Himalaya
  • Geodynamics of the ancient orogens, the Acadian orogeny
  • Exhumation of ultrahigh pressure rocks of Western Norway

Contact details:

Email link (GNS)

2009


Rick SibsonProfessor Emeritus       Richard H. Sibson

BSc(Auck) MSc PhD DIC(Lond) FRS FGS FRSNZ

Retired in 2009

Research interests:

  • Structural analysis of the 2010-2012 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence
  • Seismotectonics of active compressional inversion in  NE Honshu and the physical conditions of seismogenesis along subduction  megathrusts
  • seismogenesis in the Buller region of active compressional inversion
  • earthquake rupturing in fluid-overpressured crust

Email rick.sibson@otago.ac.nz


Francesca GhisettiProfessor Francesca C. Ghisetti

Dottore in Scienze Geologiche(Catania) Fellow   National Council of Research(Italy)

Research interests:

  • Structural analysis of fold-and-thrust belts, section balancing, stress inversions
  • Structural analysis of active faults
  • Basin evolution and fault-controlled sedimentation
  • Microstructural assemblages of brittle fault rocks
  • Field mapping of sedimentary, metamorphic and volcanic assemblages
  • Regional Tectonics
  • Tectonic geomorphology, Quaternary geology, and Neotectonics
  • Seismotectonics and seismic hazard assessment
  • Geological map editing and publishing, GIS

2006


Doug CoombsProfessor Emeritus Douglas S. Coombs

Passed away in 2016

  • mineralogy and petrology of metamorphic and igneous rocks
  • New Zealand tectonics

General / technical staff

2023

Stephen Read sm Dr Stephen Read

What he did at the Department of Geology: Geological Mapping Technician

2018


Luke EasterbrookLuke Easterbrook

What he did at the Department of Geology: Scientific Illustrator


Dee-Roben_smDee Roben

What she did at the Department of Geology: Academic administrator

2017


Claudio Tapia smDr Claudio A. Tapia

What he did at the Department of Geology: Teaching fellow, Teaching Support Technician, Curator, Otago Paleomagnetic Research Facility supervisor

2016


Kat Lilly smDr Kat Lilly

What she did at the Department of Geology: Scientific officer, SEM

2015


Adrien DeverAdrien Dever

What she did at the Department of Geology: Academic Administrator

Contact details:Contact us


John Williams smDr John G Williams

What he did at the Department of Geology: Departmental Administrator

2013


Andreas AuerAndreas Auer

What he did at the Department of Geology: Electron Microprobe Officer & Teaching Fellow (also former student)

2011


Mike TrinderMike W Trinder

What he did at the Department of Geology: Senior Technical Officer & Departmental Health and Safety Officer.

2010


Andrew GrebneffAndrew Grebneff

What he did at the Department of Geology: Paleontology Lab Technician


Kay SwannKay Swann

What she did at the Department of Geology: Scientific Illustrator

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