Dr. Paul Tackley

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Paul Tackley. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Paul Tackley is a Professor of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics at the Institute of Geophysics, Department of Earth Sciences at ETH Zurich since 2005. He served as a member of the ETH Research Commission from 2010 to 2017, and chaired a subcommission from 2014 to 2017. Tackley was the Study Director at the Department of Earth Sciences from 2013 to 2016 and served as the Head of the Institute of Geophysics from 2010 to 2014. Born in Rugby, UK, he received his BA in Natural Sciences (Physics major) from the University of Cambridge in 1987 and earned his MSc in Geophysics from the California Institute of Technology in 1991. He completed his PhD in Geophysics at Caltech in 1994. Tackley's research focuses on the structure, dynamics, and evolution of the Earth and other terrestrial planets and moons, particularly in relation to convective processes, mantle dynamics, lithospheric dynamics, and plate tectonics. He employs advanced numerical simulations using high-performance parallel supercomputers to model these dynamic processes accurately. Tackley's contributions to the field have been recognized through various awards and honors, including being named a Fellow of the Academia Europaea in 2021 and an American Geophysical Union Fellow in 2017.

Research Interests

Awards

#

Fellow

#

Fellow

#

Visiting Professor

#

Packard Foundation Faculty Fellowship

#

Fellowships

#

Clauser Prize for PhD thesis

#

Fellowship

Courses

Seminar Geophysics Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Numerical Modelling Seminar Geophysics II Integrated Earth Systems Topics in Planetary Sciences

Requirements for ETH Zurich

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.4
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
TOEFL
Total
Required:100
GRE General
Verbal
Required:159
Verbal Percentile
Required:80
Quantitative
Required:168
Quantitative Percentile
Required:81
Analytical Writing
Required:4.5
Writing Percentile
Required:85
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in a related field (Engineering, Natural Sciences, or Mathematics) Minimum 180 ECTS credits Subject-specific knowledge equivalent to ETH Bachelor's programs
Application Checklist
  • Bachelor's degree diploma or transcript
  • Official academic transcripts
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Letter of Motivation (1 page)
  • Two academic recommendation letters
  • English language proficiency certificate
  • GRE General Test (for non-EU/EFTA applicants)
Specialization Notes

The GRE is mandatory for students who did not obtain their Bachelor's degree in an EU/EFTA state. Some departments (e.g., Computer Science) have specific ECTS credit requirements in core subjects.