Head of Department
Professor Christopher Moy
BSc(Union College, Schenectady) MSc(Syracuse) PhD(Stanford)
- Paleoclimatology
- Sedimentology
- Geochemistry
Mel O’Brien
Administrator
- Administration
- Enquiries
Email geology@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 556 6024
Teaching staff
Dr Marco Brenna
BSc(W Aust) PhD(Massey)
- Igneous petrology and geochemistry
- Volcanology
- Magma ascent dynamics
Dr Sophie Briggs
BSc(Hons)(Otago) PhD(UCSB)
- 100 level teaching
- Petrology (igneous and metamorphic)
- Geochemistry
- Geochronology
- Tectonics
- Geological field methods
Professor Andrew R Gorman
BSc(Calgary) PhD(British Columbia)
- Geophysics
- Controlled-source seismology
- Marine seismology
- Gas hydrates
Dr Doug MacKenzie
BSc(Toronto) MSc PhD(Otago) MAusIMM CP(GEO)
- Economic geology
- Orogenic gold deposits
- Structure and fluid flow in metamorphic belts
- Geological field methods
Professor David J Prior
BSc(Wales) PhD(Leeds)
- Grain Boundary Sliding (GBS) and Earth Rheology
- The Alpine Fault Zone, South Island, New Zealand
- Ice microstructure and mechanics
Associate Professor Christina Riesselman
BA (Nebraska-Lincoln) PhD (Stanford)
- Cenozoic paleoceanography and paleoclimate
- Antarctic climate evolution
- Micropaleontology (diatoms)
- Geochemical proxies of paleoenvironmental change
Professor Claudine Stirling
PhD(ANU), BSc(Hons)(Well)
- Isotope Geochemistry
- Biogeochemical cycles of trace metals
- Paleoceanography and paleoclimatology
- Environmental Geochemistry
Professor Mark W Stirling
BSc MSc(Otago) PhD(Nevada)
Chair of Earthquake Science
- Multidisciplinary seismic hazard modelling
- Seismotectonics
- Earthquake statistics
- Tectonic geomorphology
Professor James D L White
BA BSc(TCU) MSc(Missouri) PhD(UCSB)
- Subaqueous and subglacial eruptions
- Explosive basaltic eruptions
- Shallow intrusions
- Volcaniclastic sedimentology
Research staff
Dr Matthew Druce
PhD(Otago) Research Fellow
- Isotope geochemistry
- Paleoceanography and paleoclimatology
- Trace metal biogeochemical cycles
Email matt.druce@otago.ac.nz
Dr Marshall Palmer
BSc(Hons) PhD(Otago) Assistant Research Fellow
Geochemical assessment of element mobility between ultramafic and quartzofeldspathic rocks along the Livingstone Fault
- Scheelite isotope and trace element geochemistry
- LA-ICPMS
- Mineral deposits
- metamorphic petrology
Email marshall.palmer@otago.ac.nz
Dr Malcolm Reid
Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Trace Element Analysis
Email malcolm.reid@otago.ac.nz
Dr Jeffrey Robinson
PhD (Otago)
Assistant Research Fellow
- Paleontology
- Archivist of Geology Museum Fossil Collections
Email jeff.robinson@otago.ac.nz
Emeritus Professors and honorary staff
Honorary Research Fellow Catherine Beltran
PhD(Paris, France)
- Phytoplankton geochemistry
- Paleoclimate/thermometry reconstructions
- Archaeological chemistry
Email catherine.beltran@otago.ac.nz
Emeritus Professor Alan F Cooper
BSc(Sheff) PhD(Otago)
- Metamorphic mineralogy and petrology of the Haast Schists
- Petrogenesis of carbonatites and the NZ lamprophyre dyke swarms
- Alpine Fault structure and activity
- Antarctica
Emeritus Professor Dave Craw
BSc PhD(Otago) MSc(Calgary) FRSNZ
- Economic geology
- Structure and mineralisation in the Haast Schists
- Fluid flow in orogenic belts
Honorary Research Fellow John Conran
BSc(Hons) PhD(Adelaide)
- Molecular and morphological evolution and palaeobotany, reproductive biology and community ecology of seed plants
- Fossil floras
Email john.conran@adelaide.edu.au
Honorary Research Professor Bill Fry
BS(Univ. Missouri), MS(Northern Arizona Univ.), PhD(ETH Zürich) Principal Scientist, GNS Science, Avalon
- Hazards research
- Earthquake seismology
- Tectonophysics
Emeritus Professor Daphne E Lee
BSc PhD(Otago)
- Cenozoic paleobotany and paleoclimate
- Invertebrate paleontology (brachiopods)
- Cenozoic stratigraphy
- Earth science education
Honorary Senior Lecturer Candace E Martin
BS(N Carolina) MPhil PhD(Yale)
- Environmental geology
- Biogeochemical cycles
- Radiogenic isotope and trace element geochemistry
Honorary Senior Lecturer Felix G Marx
MSci(Bristol) PhD(Otago)
Curator Vertebrates, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, Wellington
- Paleontology
- Marine mammal biology and evolution
- Baleen whales
Google Scholar Felix G. Marx
ORCID orcid.org/0000-0002-1029-4001
Honorary Research Professor Nick Mortimer
BSc, ARSM(Imperial College) PhD(Stanford) FRSNZ
Principal Scientist, GNS Science, Dunedin
- Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary petrology
- Tectonics and stratigraphy
- Regional geology of Zealandia and Gondwana
- Scientific writing, graphics and editing
Honorary Senior Lecturer Christian Ohneiser
MSc PhD(Otago)
- Paleomagnetism
- Paleoclimate/ocean reconstructions
- Antarctic climate evolution
Honorary Senior Lecturer James Pope
PhD
- Geochemistry
- Mining and agricultural impacts
Email james@stratageoscience.co.nz
Honorary Lecturer Cathy Rufaut
PhD
- Geochemistry
- Mining and agricultural impacts
Professor Emeritus Richard H Sibson
BSc(Auck) MSc PhD DIC(Lond) FRS FGS FRSNZ
- 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
Honorary Associate Professor Virginia G Toy
BSc MSc(Auck) MPhil(ANU) PhD (Otago)
Professor of Structural Geology and Tectonics, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany
- Structure of shear zones
- Microstructure and texture analysis
- Coseismic fault rocks
- SW Pacific tectonics
Honorary Professor Gary S Wilson
BSc BMus PhD(Victoria)
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), University of Waikato
- Palaeomagnetism
- Integrated chronostratigraphy
- Palaeoceanography
- Palaeoclimatology
- Stratigraphy, sedimentology and palaeoenvironments'
Professional staff
David Barr
Centre for Trace Element Analysis – Instrument Support Technician
Email david.barr@otago.ac.nz
Michael Bollen
PhD(Otago)
Department Lab Manager
Email michael.bollen@otago.ac.nz
Hamish Bowman
BA (SUNY)
Computing and Numerical Simulation Technician
- High performance computing support
- Numerical modelling and programming
- Electronics and scientific instrumentation design and fabrication
Bob Dagg
BSc MSc(Otago)
Otago Analytical Core Repository
- iTrax
- Geotek
- Coring equipment
- Geophysical equipment
Email bob.dagg@otago.ac.nz
Lidiya Excell
Finance Associate
Email finance.geology@otago.ac.nz
Dr Faye Nelson
BSC MSc(Lethbridge) PhD(Otago)
Otago Paleomagnetic Research Facility – Lab Supervisor
- Paleomagnetic methods
- Quaternary climate change
Dianne Nyhof
BSc PGDipSci(Otago)Curator / Teaching Support
- Curating department collections
- Teaching support for undergraduate classes
Email dianne.nyhof@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 7513
Brent Pooley
BSc(Otago)
Physical Geology Laboratories Manager/Department Health & Safety officer
- Rock sample preparation and analysis
- Thin sectioning and polishing of rock samples
- Equipment maintenance
Email brent.pooley@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 7502
Sophie White
BA(Otago)
Paleontology Lab Manager and Paleontology Collections Manager
- Fossil Preparation
- Curation and conservation of collections
- Geology Museum
Email sophie.white@otago.ac.nz