Griffith's Structural Geology and Geomechanics Lab

About:

I am a second year graduate student with interests in plate tectonics, faulting, and volcanism. In particular, I am interested in studying mechanical interactions between convergent margin tectonics and overriding continental crust structures. My current research has lead me to the Southern Volcanic Zone in Chile where the Nazca plate is obliquely subducting beneath the South American plate between 33°S and 46°S. With recent volcanic eruptions in the Southern Volcanic Zone, such as Villarrica (March 2015) and Calbuco (April 2015), it is critical to understand how the tectonics and fault structures in the region behave in order to better prepare for potential hazards from future eruptions and major seismic megathrust events. I am currently utilizing Boundary Element Method (BEM) numerical modeling to simulate interactions between subduction processes and the Liquiñe-Ofqui transform fault system in both interseismic and coseismic stages to better understand the link between seismic events and volcanism. When I am not working on my research, I enjoy hiking, biking, reading, and watching hockey.