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Rob van der Hilst is a seismologist focused on probing Earth’s deep interior structure and sedimentary basins near the surface of the core–mantle boundary, reaching depths of 2,800 km. His cross-disciplinary research emphasizes understanding geological processes in geological processes in the Earth’s deep interior and regional scale, including the evolution of continental structures like Tibet, East Asia, and North America, the interaction of oceanic plates in western Pacific island arcs, and the upper mantle transition zone in Hawaii. His primary tools include global reflection seismology and seismic tomography, combined with geological and mineral physics constraints, to explore complex patterns of mantle convection. Honors include fellowship in the American Geophysical Union in 1997 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2014, as well as the prestigious James B. Macelwane Medal and the Doornbos Memorial Prize for excellence in seismology. In addition to his role at MIT, he has served as a visiting professor at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris and has held significant leadership roles within his department.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, MA
Joined the faculty of the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at MIT.