Dr. Thorsten Becker

Biography

Thorsten Becker holds the Distinguished Chair in Geophysics at the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a Senior Research Scientist at the Institute for Geophysics and a faculty associate at the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering Sciences. His research interests encompass geodynamics and seismology, with a focus on studying the interior and surface systems of planets and their co-evolution. Becker's work involves integrating field, laboratory, analog, and numerical approaches to geodynamical models, particularly in relation to the physics of plate tectonics, grain-scale deformation in earthquakes, and global mantle flow. He actively seeks motivated undergraduate and graduate students to join his collaborative efforts, exploring processes of terrestrial planets and their evolution. His teaching interests include Tectonic Geodynamics, Geophysics, Natural Hazards, deep Earth dynamics, and Numerical Modeling. Over his career, Becker has held several leadership roles, including serving as Chair of the Standing Committee on Solid Earth Geophysics and as Editor-in-Chief of AGU's journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. He has been recognized by numerous awards for his contributions to geophysics and serves on several councils and committees related to earthquake research and subduction zones.

Research Interests

Awards