Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Showing 51-100 of 136 Results
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Leah Kahn
Ph.D. Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Autumn 2024
BioI have broad interests in paleobiology and Earth history. My current research projects include quantifying body-size bias in biodiversity databases and studying reef ecology across the Late Devonian extinctions.
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Simon Klemperer
Professor of Geophysics and, by courtesy, of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI study the growth, tectonic evolution, and deformation of the continents. My research group undertakes field experiments in exemplary areas such as, currently, the Tibet plateau (formed by collision between Indian and Asia); the actively extending Basin-&-Range province of western North America (the Ruby Range Metamorphic Core Complex, NV, and the leaky transform beneath the Salton Trough, CA). We use active and passive seismic methods, electromagnetic recording, and all other available data!
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Jonas Kloeckner
Postdoctoral Scholar, Earth and Planetary Sciences
BioJonas Kloeckner is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, sponsored by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI). He specializes in critical mineral exploration essential for the sustainable energy transition. Utilizing his expertise in artificial intelligence and resource forecasting, Mr. Kloeckner leads initiatives that strive to align with global sustainability goals.
Jonas earned his PhD in Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, where he later served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Geosciences. His doctoral and postdoctoral research focused on advancing geostatistical methods for Earth resources forecasting, significantly contributing to the field.
Previously, Jonas was a Visiting Research Scholar at Stanford University under the mentorship of Professor Jef Caers. He holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering from UFRGS, with additional international studies at Ecole des Mines d’Alès, France, and as a visiting student at Columbia University, USA.
Jonas’s current research integrates spatial data analysis with advanced decision-making processes in subsurface systems, enhancing resource management strategies and supporting sustainable mining practices. Beyond academia, he actively collaborates on various international projects, optimizing resource extraction and minimizing environmental impacts through innovative technology and interdisciplinary collaboration. -
Mathieu Lapôtre
Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and, by courtesy, of Geophysics and of Civil and Environmental Engineering
BioProf. Lapôtre leads the Earth & Planetary Surface Processes group. His research focuses on the physics behind sedimentary and geomorphic processes that shape planetary surfaces (including Earth's), and aims to untangle what sedimentary rocks tell us about the past hydrology, climate, and habitability of planets.
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Andrew Leslie
Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am interested in morphological evolution. I approach this broad topic by investigating how interactions among form, function, and environment have influenced evolutionary patterns in plant reproductive structures over million-year time scales. This approach requires synthesizing information from different disciplines, and my work uses approaches from paleontology, biomechanics, phylogenetics, and biogeography.
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Juhn Liou
Professor of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPetrochemical processes and tectonics of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic terranes
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Keith Loague
Professor of Geological Sciences, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsRESEARCH (see PUBLICATIONS), 1980-2017
Process-based characterizations of surface & near-surface hydrologic response, based upon comprehensive field observations and sophisticated numerical simulations.
* Group Members (with degrees earned): John Griggs - PhD, Jennifer Kleveno - MS, Robert Miyahira - MS, Ephraim Leon-Guerrero - MS, Domingo Molina - MS, Robert Abrams - MS, Ricardo Diaz-Diaz - Post Doctoral Fellow, Erik Wahlstrom - MS, Robert Abrams - PhD, Robert Abrams - Post Doctoral Fellow, Jim Blanke - MS CoTerm, Anona Dutton - MS CoTerm, D’Artagnan Lloyd - MS, Melissa Mills - MS, Edzer Pebesma - Visiting Scholar, Iris Stewart - PhD, Luis Ugalde - MS, Joel VanderKwaak - Post Doctoral Fellow, Dennis Corwin - Visiting Scholar, Leigh Soutter - PhD, Robert Abrams - Research Associate, Qihua Ran - MS, Lauren Benson - MS CoTerm, Qihua Ran - PhD, Adrianne Carr - PhD, Christopher Heppner - PhD, Susan BeVille - MS CoTerm, Brian Ebel - PhD, Brian Ebel - Post Doctoral Fellow, Benjamin Mirus - PhD, Mollie Pettit - MS, Kristin Mayer - MS, Matthew Thomas - PhD, & Matthew Thomas - Post Doctoral Fellow
* Invited Reviews, requested by: Academic Press, Advances in Environmental Research, Advances in Water Resources, American Geophysical Union, Hydraulic Engineering, Hydrologic Engineering, Cambridge University Press, Earth & Planetary Science Letters, Ecohydrology, Engineering Geology, Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, Environmental Earth Sciences, Environmental Geology, Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Environmental Science & Technology, Geoderma, Geophysical Research Letters, Hydrogeology, Hydrological Processes, Contaminant Hydrology, Environmental Quality, Geophysical Research - Earth Surface, Natural Hazards, National Aeronautics & Space Administration, National Geographic Society, National Science Foundation, National Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada, Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations, Oxford University Press, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Remote Sensing of Environment, Reviews in Geophysics, Science, USDA Water Quality Research Program, USGS National Institutes for Water Resources , US State Department (Science Center), Soil Science Society of America, Vadoze Zone, Water Resources Center (California), Water Resources Research, Water Resources Research Center (Hawaii), & 37 more journals/agencies
TEACHING (courses taught, repeatedly; 89 total), 1985-2017
* University of Hawaii @ Manoa, 1985-1988 (~ 1,000 days): GG455 Groundwater Geology, GG654 Groundwater Contamination, GG655 Groundwater Modeling, & GG656 Transport Modeling
* University of California @ Berkeley, 1988-1994 (2,222 days): FRM109 Wildland Hydrology, SS150 Soil Hydrology, Soil Science Seminar, SS250 Vadose Zone Modeling, & SS251 Hillslope Hydrology
* Leland Stanford Junior University, 1994-2017 (8,431 days): GES-43Q Environmental Problems, GES-130 Environmental Earth Sciences I, GES-131 Environmental Earth Sciences II, GES-130 Soil Physics and Hydrology, GES-131 Hydrologically-Driven Landscape Evolution, GES-140 Geomorphology, GES-230 Hydrogeology, GES-332b Seminar in Hydrogeology, GES-237 Surface and Near-Surface Hydrologic Response, GES-238 Soil Physics, & GES-239 Advanced Geomorphology
SERVICE (US Army - enlisted - 1,096 days active duty), 1970-1973
* Stateside: Fort Wayne MI, Fort Knox KY (D-12-5 "tigers one and all"), Fort Eustis VA, Fort Stewart GA, Hunter Army Airfield GA, Treasure Island CA, & Fort Carson CO
* Vietnam (volunteer - 328 days "in country"): "breathing in" Saigon / Tan Son Nhut AB (via Travis AFB, Alaska, & Yokota AFB), Vung Tau, 611th Trans Company 1st Aviation Brigade @ Vien Long Army Airfield ("Delta Riggers" - crew chief, Tailboard 336 [67N20 / UH-1H (slick)], door gunner, & rigger), Can Tho Army Airfield, F Troop 1st Calvalry Division @ Bien Hoa Air Base (Army side), & "breathing out" Saigon / Tan Son Nhut AB (to Travis AFB) -
Grant Long
Ph.D. Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Autumn 2024
BioGrant was born in a small town in Massachusetts and quickly moved to York, Maine, a small beach town. He earned a BSc in Geology from the University of Vermont in 2022. Grant continued with his MSc degree at Stanford University in 2024, focusing on sediment dynamics in Chile.
Grant joined Stanford as an MSc student in the Fall of 2022 and is a part of the Tectonic Geomorphology Lab group led by George Hilley.
Grant’s focus is on landscape evolution in south-central Chile, making comparisons between the modern and glacial-interglacial timescales. -
Jacob Long
Ph.D. Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Autumn 2023
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsUsing experimental rock physics and monitoring techniques to study the carbonation process and its impact on reservoir porosity, permeability, and other properties in carbon capture and storage projects.
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Donald Lowe
Max Steineke Professor in Earth Sciences, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClastic sedimentology, deep-water sedimentation mechanics and facies; Archean depositional systems and crustal development
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Leslie Magoon
Adjunct Professor, Earth & Planetary Sciences
BioLes is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Basin and Petroleum System Modeling, a Stanford University Industrial affiliate program that he was one of the three co-originators in 2005. He graduated from the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR with a B.S. in biology in 1964 and a M.S. in Geology in 1966. He worked 8 years for Shell Oil Company in Exploration where he was the lead investigator in the Ventura-Santa Barbara Basin source rock and migration study, the first investigation of its type in exploration for this company. Les worked 30 years for the U.S. Geological Survey where he carried out resource assessment studies in Alaska, Colombia, Venezuela, and Canada. The Alaska studies included the Cook Inlet and North Slope. Since 1981, he has investigated and popularized the petroleum system through talks, courses, and AAPG Memoir 60, The Petroleum System—From Source to Trap, for which he and his co-editor received the R. H. Dott, Sr. Award in 1996. Published in 1994, this popular book was reprinted twice and sold out all 4,000 copies and is now only available in CD. In 2017, he received AAPG Honorary Member Award and in 2021 the AAPG Sidney Powers Memorial Award, the society's third highest and highest award, respectively.
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Katharine (Kate) Maher
Professor of Earth System Science, Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and Professor, by courtesy, of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHydrology, reactive transport modeling and environmental geochemistry
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Gail Mahood
Professor of Geological Sciences, Emerita
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOrigin and evolution of silicic magmas expressed in rhyolitic volcanic centers and shallow plutons; geologic histories of calderas; high-precision Ar-Ar geochronology applied to caldera-forming eruptions and flood basalts; formation of lithium deposits in volcanic environments; volcanic hazards in eastern California and western Saudi Arabia, geothermal systems; geoarchaeology
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Wendy Mao
Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and of Photon Science
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsUnderstanding the formation and evolution of planetary interiors; experimental mineral physics; materials in extreme environments.
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Valerie Breanne Rosen
Ph.D. Student in Geological and Environmental Sciences, admitted Winter 2015
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsNickel Isotopes as a Biosignature for Methanogenic Archaea
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Elizabeth Miller
Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Emerita
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsStructural geology and tectonics. Evolution and deformation of continental crust and its sedimentary cover, plate tectonics and continental deformation, geochronology and thermochronology. Current interests in the Cordillera, northern circum-Pacific, Russia and Arctic regions.
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J. Moldowan
Professor (Research) of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOrganic geochemistry; study of molecular fossils (biomarkers) and their use in petroleum system analysis, reservoir characterization, environmental monitoring, molecular paleontology, global change, petroleum biodegradation in reservoir. Studies of thermal cracking of petroleum by deep burial or catalytic alteration in deep source rocks and reservoirs by using diamondoids. Applications to unconventional petroleun exploration and development.
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Tapan Mukerji
Professor (Research) of Energy Science Engineering, of Earth and Planetary Sciences and of Geophysics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy students and I use theoretical, computational, and statistical models, to discover and understand fundamental relations between geophysical data and subsurface properties, to quantify uncertainty in our geomodels, and to address value of information for decision making under uncertainty.
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Souradeep Mukherjee
Ph.D. Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Autumn 2023
BioSouradeep is an Exploration Geologist-turned-AI Researcher developing decision-making algorithms to discover high-grade mineral deposits. With almost a decade of experience in on-field exploration of critical & strategic mineral deposits, he is now using his computer to unlock the full potential of mineral discovery.
Souradeep is currently a Doctoral Researcher at Stanford Mineral-X. His current work focuses on fusing multi-element soil geochemistry with 3D geological inference to build predictive models for subsurface intrusion-hosted Ni-Cu sulfide mineralization in the Curaçá Valley, Brazil. By leveraging machine learning, geostatistics, and compositional data analysis, he aims to reduce geological uncertainty and operational costs in mineral targeting, transforming how exploration is conducted in under-explored terrains.
Prior to Stanford, Souradeep held several technical and supervisory roles at the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Government of India, where he spearheaded multiple national-scale mineral exploration campaigns. He led the exploration and evaluation of uranium-bearing sediments in the Bhima Basin, the mapping of lithium-rich pegmatites in Karnataka, and the delineation of heavy mineral sand deposits across the east coast of India. His work included advanced geological mapping, structural interpretation, kinematic analysis, downhole geophysics, petrological microscopy, and geostatistical modeling—skills that now enrich his algorithmic thinking in research.
His research interests span compositional data analysis, geospatial modeling, machine learning for Earth systems, building intelligent decision making agents for mineral exploration and mineral prospectivity analysis. He is particularly passionate about bridging the gap between traditional geosciences and computational intelligence to power the next generation of resource discovery tools.
When he’s not deep into code or core samples, Souradeep contributes to scientific outreach, mentors young geoscientists, and advocates for data transparency and sustainability in the mining sector. He is also a writer, a poet and loves to write pieces on existential philosophy. -
Mark Nikolic
Postdoctoral Scholar, Earth and Planetary Sciences
BioI study large scale processes of evolution through earth history using the fossil record. In doing so, I make use of computational and phylogenetic approaches along with large datasets. I also lead the History of Life and Biodiversity summer internship through the Stanford Young Investigators program. Aside from fossils, I'm also a big fan of riding my bike and disco music.
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Ayla Pamukcu
Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI have long been fascinated by magmas and volcanic eruptions, for reasons ranging from purely academic (trying to understand the magmatic construction of Earth’s crust) to purely practical (developing effective monitoring and mitigation strategies for volcanic eruptions). Consequently, my research revolves around understanding how, when, where, and why magmas are stored, evolve, and ultimately do (or do not!) erupt.
Within this context, I focus on two main themes: (1) the temporal, chemical, and physical, evolution of magmas, and (2) the interplay between magma storage conditions in the crust and magmatic processes. I employ a multi-faceted approach to explore these topics, integrating data from multiple scales and perspectives; my studies capitalize on information contained in field relations, crystal and melt inclusion textures (sizes, shapes, positions), crystal and volcanic glass geochemistry, geochronology, phase-equilibria and numerical modeling, and experiments. As a function of this approach, I am also engaged in the development of novel methods to address petrologic problems in new, better, and more refined ways than is currently possible.
A major focus of my research has been on supereruptions – gigantic explosive eruptions the likes of which we have never seen in recorded human history – but I am continually exploring other kinds of magmatic systems. I am currently particularly interested in the links (or lack thereof) between extrusive (i.e., erupted) and intrusive (i.e., unerupted) magmas, similarities/differences between large- and small-volume eruptions, and similarities/differences between magmas generated at different levels of the crust. I have also had a longstanding interest in the interactions and relationships between humans and their geologic surroundings (particularly volcanoes). -
Nidhi Utkarshbhai Patel
Ph.D. Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Autumn 2023
BioPlants display enormous diversity of forms today that, have evolved over geological timescales after plants successfully colonized land. Currently, I am interested in learning more about evolutionary changes in plant structures including specialized reproductive organs of seed plants. I study plant fossil record from deep time and living plants with the aim to develop a better understanding of origins of plant reproductive structures and drivers of morphological evolution in plants. Previously, I have looked at spore-pollen record preserved in sedimentary rocks from Canada. These microscopic fossils and their distribution in space and time can help us elucidate the response of vegetation to past extinction events.
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Jonathan Payne
Dorrell William Kirby Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and Professor, by courtesy, of Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy goal in research is to understand the interaction between environmental change and biological evolution using fossils and the sedimentary rock record. How does environmental change influence evolutionary and ecological processes? And conversely, how do evolutionary and ecological changes affect the physical environment? I work primarily on the marine fossil record over the past 550 million years.
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Eliane Petersohn
Ph.D. Student in Geological Sciences, admitted Autumn 2022
BioI grew up in Curitiba, a city in southern Brazil, and, moved to Rio de Janeiro to join the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) years ago.
I have a strong grasp of the oil and gas industry, where I have been working for more than 15 years. I have a bachelor’s and master's degree in geology from the Federal University of Parana, Brazil and, I have become a public servant of the ANP, where I have held different technical and managerial positions. I spent these past 15 years working on the ANP’s large-scale strategic projects, conducting a geological evaluation for Brazil’s bidding rounds, and developing a multiyear geological and geophysical data acquisition plan for the Agency. I was also responsible for coordinating the first phase of the onerous assignment process, which authorized the Brazilian Government to onerously assign to NOC Petrobras up to 5 billion barrels of oil. I have also been directly involved in the location of two wells, which discovered two of the country's largest oil fields (Buzios and Mero fields). As a geologist researcher, my main objective aims at acquiring capabilities and developing the knowledge required to manage reservoirs to maximize oil recovery and extend the lifespan of oil fields as well as acquire a solid understanding of oil reservoir management to bring innovative knowledge to Brazil and help create guidelines to monitor oil field development and production in my country. -
Mia Maria Pique
Ph.D. Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Autumn 2026
Masters Student in Earth and Planetary Sciences, admitted Summer 2024BioI grew up outside Chicago and moved west to attend Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. Through NAU’s Interdisciplinary Global Program and Honors College, I earned a Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and a Bachelor of Art in Spanish, with an emphasis in Global Science and Engineering. Studying geology among the landscapes of the American Southwest first inspired me to think deeply about Earth processes and the relationships among geology, communities and the environments in which we live.
My undergraduate education extended far beyond Flagstaff. I lived in Tucumán, Argentina, where I studied geology in Spanish at the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. I then completed an internship at the Instituto Geofísico of Ecuador’s Escuela Politécnica Nacional, where I studied the eruptive behavior of Reventador Volcano and conducted fieldwork in the Amazon Basin. I later continued my research through the University of Queensland’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences in Australia, studying diamonds as a tool to understand mantle behavior. These experiences taught me the importance of understanding science through international, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives.
Before coming to Stanford, I moved to San Francisco and worked in geotechnical engineering, where I applied my geologic background to real-world challenges involving Earth materials and infrastructure.
I am now a graduate student in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Stanford, working with Professor Tiziana Vanorio at the intersection of geology, rock physics, geophysics and engineering. My M.S. research in Professor Vanorio's lab investigates how carbon-rich byproducts from methane pyrolysis can be incorporated into cementitious materials, creating a productive use for an emerging industrial byproduct.
As I develop my P.h.D research, I am interested in expanding my knowledge of rare earth elements, including their occurrence as primary deposits in rocks and minerals, their behavior within mineral structures and their importance to emerging energy technologies. I hope to explore how geology, geophysics and engineering can contribute to the responsible characterization and use of these critical resources. More broadly, I hope to strengthen resource security by reducing dependence on geographically concentrated supply chains.
Beyond my research, I love thinking about how science, mentorship, creativity, communication and people all fit together. I am interested not only in asking, “How do we conduct meaningful and impactful research?” but also, “How do we build better scientists and strong scientific communities? How can we use education and knowledge as tools for a better world? ” I believe scientific progress is strongest when it is interdisciplinary, collaborative, creative and grounded in care for both people and the planet.
