Head of Department
Professor James D L White
BA BSc(TCU) MSc(Missouri) PhD(UCSB)
- Subaqueous and subglacial eruptions
- Explosive basaltic eruptions
- Shallow intrusions
- Volcaniclastic sedimentology
Professors
Professor R Ewan Fordyce
BSc PhD(Cant) FRSNZ
- Vertebrate paleobiology
- Systematics and phylogeny of Cetacea (whales and dolphins)
- Cretaceous-Cenozoic paleontology and stratigraphy
- Paleoceanography and paleoclimates
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
Professor Mark W Stirling
BSc MSc(Otago) PhD(Nevada)
Chair of Earthquake Science
- Multidisciplinary seismic hazard modelling
- Seismotectonics
- Earthquake statistics
- Tectonic geomorphology
Emeritus Professors
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 mineralization in the Haast Schists
- Fluid flow in orogenic belts
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
Associate Professors
Associate Professor Andrew R Gorman
BSc(Calgary) PhD(Br Col)
- Geophysics
- Crustal controlled-source seismology
- Marine seismology
- Gas hydrates
Associate Professor James Scott
PhD(Otago)
- Meteorites, solar nebula and planetary geology
- Earth’s mantle composition, history, melting
- Metamorphism, mineralisation and fluid flow
- Subduction zones and element redistribution
- Environmental geochemistry
- Zealandia’s tectonics
Senior Lecturers
Dr Candace E Martin
BS(N Carolina) MPhil PhD(Yale)
- Environmental geology
- Biogeochemical cycles
- Radiogenic isotope and trace element geochemistry
Dr Christopher Moy
BSc(Union College, Schenectady) MSc(Syracuse) PhD(Stanford)
- Paleoclimatology
- Sedimentology
- Geochemistry
Dr Christian Ohneiser
MSc PhD(Otago)
- Paleomagnetism
- Paleoclimate/ocean reconstructions
- Antarctic climate evolution
Dr J. Michael Palin
BA(Calif State Fullerton) MS(New Mexico Tech) PhD(Yale)
- Mineralogy and petrology
- Geochronology and isotope geology
- Mineral deposits
Dr Christina Riesselman
BA (Nebraska-Lincoln) PhD (Stanford)
- Cenozoic paleoceanography and paleoclimate
- Antarctic climate evolution
- Micropaleontology (diatoms)
- Geochemical proxies of paleoenvironmental change
Dr Steven A F Smith
MSci PhD(Durh)
- Structure and mechanical properties of fault zones
- Fault rock microstructure
- Deformation experiments
- Structural Geology
Lecturers
Dr Marco Brenna
BSc(W Aust) PhD(Massey)
- Igneous petrology and geochemistry
- Volcanology
- Magma ascent dynamics
Professional Practice Fellow
Dr Doug MacKenzie
BSc(Toronto) MSc PhD(Otago) MAusIMM CP(GEO)
- Economic geology
- Orogenic gold deposits
- Structure and fluid flow in metamorphic belts
Teaching Fellow
Dr Sophie Briggs
BSc(Hons)(Otago) PhD(UCSB)
- 100- and 200-level teaching
- Petrology (igneous and metamorphic)
- Geochemistry
- Geochronology
- Tectonics
Research staff
Dr Catherine Beltran
MSc PhD(UPMC Sorbonne Universite)
- Paleoceanography and paleoclimates
- Sedimentology
- Organic geochemistry
Email catherine.beltran@otago.ac.nz
Google Scholar Catherine Beltran
Dr 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
Email gemma.kerr@otago.ac.nz
Google Scholar Gemma Kerr
ORCID orcid.org/0000-0003-1215-7913
Tel +64 3 479 7523
Dr Jon Lindqvist
MSc PhD(Otago)
- Sedimentology and ichnology
- On-land southern NZ Cretaceous–Tertiary basin stratigraphy
Email jon.lindqvist@otago.ac.nz
Mob +64 21 176 2136
Dr Marianne Negrini
MSc(Zurich) PhD(Tromsø)
Electron Beam Data Technician
Email marianne.negrini@otago.ac.nz
Tel (SEM lab) +64 3 471 6097
Tel (Office) +64 3 479 7507
Dr Cathy G Rufaut
Dip. Wildlife Management(Otago) MSc(Victoria) PhD(Otago)
- Geo-ecology, botany, zoology
- Mine environmental issues
- Land rehabilitation
- Project management and outreach
Email cathy.rufaut@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 7579
Mob +64 27 491 9293
Honorary staff
Honorary Professor Gary S Wilson
BSc BMus PhD(Victoria)
General Manager Strategy, GNS Science
- Palaeomagnetism
- Integrated chronostratigraphy
- Palaeoceanography
- Palaeoclimatology
- Stratigraphy, sedimentology and palaeoenvironments'
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
Email n.mortimer@gns.cri.nz
Google Scholar Nick Mortimer
ORCID orcid.org/0000-0002-6812-3379
Honorary Associate Professor Daphne E Lee
BSc PhD(Otago)
- Cenozoic paleobotany and paleoclimate
- Invertebrate paleontology (brachiopods)
- Cenozoic stratigraphy
- Earth science education
Honorary Associate Professor Virginia G Toy
BSc MSc(Auck) MPhil(ANU) PhD (Otago)
- Structure of shear zones
- Microstructure and texture analysis
- Coseismic fault rocks
- SW Pacific tectonics
Honorary Senior Lecturer Felix G Marx
MSci(Bristol) PhD(Otago)
- Paleontology
- Marine mammal biology and evolution
- Baleen whales
Google Scholar Felix G. Marx
ORCID orcid.org/0000-0002-1029-4001
Professional staff
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
Ray Marx
BSc MSc(Otago)
Safety Officer / Lab Manager / Field Coordinator
- Department Health and Safety Officer
- Department Lab Manager
- Coordinating field trips
Email ray.marx@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 5695
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 / Outreach
- Curating department collections
- Teaching support for undergraduate classes
- Outreach coordinator
Email dianne.nyhof@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 7513
Brent Pooley
BSc(Otago)
Petrology Technician
- thin sectioning and polishing of rock samples
- equipment maintenance
Email brent.pooley@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 7502
Dr Stephen Read
BSc(Hons) DipGrad PhD(Otago)
Geological Mapping Technician
- mapping equipment and software
- imagery equipment and software
- illustration software
- 3D visualization, modelling and analysis
Marcus Richards
MSc(Otago)
Paleontology Lab Technician
- Fossil Preparation
- Curation and conservation of collections
- Geology Museum
Email marcus.richards@otago.ac.nz
Sophie White
BA(Otago)
Paleontology Lab Technician
- Fossil Preparation
- Curation and conservation of collections
- Geology Museum
Email sophie.white@otago.ac.nz
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr Rosie Cole
MSci(Durham) PhD(Otago)
- Volcanology
- Dyke propagation
Email rosie.cole@otago.ac.nz
Google Scholar Rosie P Cole
Tobias Dürig
Dipl. phys., Dr. rer. nat.(Wurzburg)
- Experimental volcanology
- Generation processes of volcanic ash
- Magma-water interaction
- Ash plume dynamics
Email tobias.durig@otago.ac.nz
Google Scholar Tobias Dürig
Dr Martina Kirilova
BSc(Sofi) MSc(Copenhagen) PhD(Otago)
- Microstructural analysis of fault rocks
- Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material
- Experimental rock deformation
- 3D image analysis
Email martina.a.kirilova@gmail.com
Google Scholar Martina Kirilova
ORCID orcid.org/0000-0002-1359-9193
Dr Matthew Tarling
BSc(McGill) PhD(Otago)
- Structural Geology
- Serpentinite fault rocks
- Raman spectroscopy of serpentinite
- Experimental petrology
Email matthew.tarling@otago.ac.nz
Google Scholar Matthew S Tarling
ORCID orcid.org/0000-0002-9235-5348
Shared Services staff
Nick Theobald
Finance Associate – Shared Services
Email nick.theobald@otago.ac.nz
Room 1n20 (Thursdays only)
Damian Walls
MSc(Otago)
Lead Client Services Administrator – Shared Services
- Departments of Physics, Mathematics and Statistics, Geology
- Room 109c, Physics, Science 3 Building
Email damian.walls@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 7751
Mob +64 21 279 0951
Paulette Milnes
BA(Hons)(Otago) MA(Victoria)
Client Services Administrator
- Administration
- Enquiries
Email geology@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 7519
