Laboratory for Geophysical Flows Laboratory for Geodynamics

Current Members

Richard Katz

Prof. Richard Foa Katz (0000-0001-8746-5430)

Group leader and Professor of Geodynamics, Univ Oxford
CV, departmental homepage
Email: 
Tel: +44 (0)1865 282122
 Rhiannon Ackland Rhiannon Ackland

NERC DTP student, Univ Oxford
Resources for sustainable energy: ore formation by reactive flow 
Co-supervised by Prof Jon Blundy and Dr Elena Melekhova
 Calum Braham

Dr Calum Braham

ERC postdoctoral fellow, Univ Oxford
Mechanics of mud-volcano source regions 
Collaboration with Profs Chris MacMinn (Engineering) & Jon Chapman (Maths)
 Andras Cserep Andras Cserep

Summer research and MSc student, Univ Oxford
Geodynamics with Dedalus
Co-supervised by Dr Yuan Li
Catherine Gower Catherine Gower

Summer research and MSc student, Univ Oxford
Simple models of tidal dissipation and orbital evolution
Co-supervised by Dr Hamish Hay
 Hamish Hay

Dr. Hamish Hay (0000-0003-1746-1228)

Leverhulme Postdoctoral fellow, Univ Oxford
Project: Tidally driven porous flows in planetary bodies
Email: hamish.hay@earth.ox.ac.uk
Yuan Li

Dr. Yuan Li  (0000-0002-6444-6138)

ERC Postdoctoral fellow, Univ Oxford
 Project: Magma-assisted tectonics of continental rifts and mid-ocean ridges
Email: yuan.li@earth.ox.ac.uk
Zhengxuan Li

Zhengxuan Li


ERC Research assistant, Univ Oxford
Project: HDG finite element models of poro-viscous granular-dilatant flows 

Affiliates and Collaborators

Adina Pusok

Dr. Adina Pusok (0000-0002-4439-8124)

Royal Society University Research Fellow, Univ Oxford
Email: adina.pusok@earth.ox.ac.uk
 David Rees Jones

Dr. David Rees Jones (0000-0001-8698-401X)

Lecturer in the Vortex Dynamics Group,
School of Mathematics & Statistics, University of St. Andrews
Homepage: www-vortex.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/~dwrj1/ 
David May 

Prof. David May (0000-0003-2471-7498)

Professor of Computational Geosciences
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
Philip England

Prof. Philip England

Professor of Geology, University of Oxford
Homepage: www.earth.ox.ac.uk/england
 Marianne Haseloff Prof. Marianne Haseloff (0000-0002-6576-5384)

Professor of glaciology, University of Wisconsin
 Prof. Ian Hewitt

Prof. Ian Hewitt

Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford
Homepage:  people.maths.ox.ac.uk/hewitt
Andrew Wells

Prof. Andrew Wells

Professor of Physics, University of Oxford
Homepage
 Andrew Fowler

Prof. Andrew Fowler

Professor of Mathematics, University of Limerick
Homepage:  people.maths.ox.ac.uk/fowler
Ikenna Obasi  Dr. Ikenna Obasi  (0000-0003-4332-7102)

Associate Professor of Applied Geophysics/Hydrologist
Alex Ekwueme Federal University of Nigeria
 Dr Sander Rhebergen Prof. Sander Rhebergen (0000-0001-6036-0356)

Professor of Mathematics, University of Waterloo
Homepage: www.math.uwaterloo.ca/~srheberg
 John Rudge

Prof. John Rudge (0000-0002-9399-7166)

Lecturer in Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge
Homepage: www.johnrudge.com
 Yasuko Takei

Prof. Yasuko Takei

Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Tokyo/ERI
 Andy Wathen

Prof. Andrew Wathen

Professor of Computational Mathematics, Department of Mathematics
University of Oxford
 Garth Wells

Prof. Garth Wells (0000-0001-5291-7951)

Reader in Solid Mechanics, Department of Engineering
University of Cambridge, Homepage

Alumni and former members

Laura Alisic

Dr. Laura Alisic

Affiliated postdoctoral research associate, University of Cambridge
On to: position as research scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
Jane Allwright 

Jane Allwright

NERC Research Experience Placement student
Project: Consequences of anisotropic viscosity in Poiseuille flow
Back to: Part IV of the mathematics tripos at Cambridge
Tong Bo

Tong Bo

Summer research student, University of Oxford
Project: The melting column as a filter for trace-element heterogeneity of the mantle
On to: A PhD in the MIT/WHOI joint program. 
 Thomas Breithaupt

Dr. Thomas Breithaupt

NERC DTP DPhil 2022, University of Oxford
Project: Microstructural evolution of deforming mantle rocks and implications for geodynamic processes
 Jonathan Burley

Dr. Jonathan Burley (0000-0001-8081-3308)

ERC-funded DPhil 2017, University of Oxford
Project: Ice ages, sea level, and magmatism: coupled oscillations
Nestor Cerpa 

Dr. Nestor Cerpa (0000-0003-0112-0138)

ERC & DCO Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Oxford
Project: MOR volatile fluxes modulated by sea level variation
On to: Postdoctoral position at Univ. Montpellier
Tim-Frederik Dauck 

Tim-Frederik Dauck

NERC REP summer student, University of Oxford
On to: Part IV of the Cambridge mathematics tripos.
Tim Davis

Dr. Tim Davis  (0000-0003-2302-5203)

ERC Postdoctoral fellow, Univ Oxford
Project: Magma-assisted tectonics of continental rifts and mid-ocean ridges
Email: timothy.davis@earth.ox.ac.uk
Owen Evans 

Owen Evans

Leverhulme research assistant, Summer 2013
Project: Generalised Stability Theory of magma/mantle dynamics
On to: Masters in mathematical biology at UCL 
 Ed Farrelly

Ed Farrelly

Oxford Earth Sciences MSc Student
Project: Transport of trace metals by volcanic brines
Abraham Francis 

Abraham Francis

MIORPA summer research intern, Univ Oxford
Project: Elastic–viscoplastic bending of a floating plate
Co-supervised by Prof Peter Howell in Mathematics
 Peter Harvey

Peter Harvey

NERC Research Experience Placement, Summer 2013
Project: An experimental study of Tyndall figures
Back to: physics undergraduate at UCL 
Ben Jackson 

Ben Jackson

Summer Research Assistant
Project: Exercises for a textbook on two-phase magma/mantle dynamics.
On to: PhD in Fluid Dynamics, University of Cambridge
Luke Kearney 

Dr. Luke Kearney

NERC DTP DPhil 2024, University of Oxford
Fluid venting phenomena in sedimentary basins
Co-supervised  by Prof Chris MacMinn in Engineering
Tobias Keller 

Dr. Tobias Keller (0000-0002-6121-5377)

ERC Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Oxford
Project: Volatile transport in the mantle and lithosphere at MORs
On to: Postdoc at Stanford University
 Murray Kiernan

Murray Kiernan

NERC Research Experience Placement student
Project: Tides of the core
Co-supervised by Dr Hamish Hay & Prof James Bryson
Teresa Kykre-Smith

Dr. Teresa Kyrke-Smith

DPhil 2014, University of Oxford
Project: Coupled dynamics of ice sheets and subglacial hydrology
On to: Postdoc at the University of Limerick, then postdoc at the British Antarctic Survey
David Liu

David Zhen Ning Liu

NERC REP summer student, University of Oxford

On to: Cambridge Maths Tripos Part III
Happiness Mahlalele 

Happiness Mahlalele 

Mfano summer intern, Univ Oxford
Project: Dilatancy in forced deformation of partially molten rocks
 J-P Ntwali N'Konzi

Joel-Pascal Ntwali N'Konzi 

Mfano summer intern, Univ Oxford
Project: Stability analysis of plastic localisation
 Dan Spencer

Daniel Spencer (0000-0003-1814-964X)

DPhil 2021, University of Oxford

Project: Tidal dissipation and volcanism of Io 

On to: Research Scientist at Sagentia
Meng Tian 

Dr. Meng Tian (0000-0002-6094-923X) 

Deep Carbon Observatory PDRA, University of Oxford
On to: CSH Fellowship at Bern University Centre For Space & Habitability
 Andrew Turner

Dr. Andrew Turner (0000-0002-6094-923X)

ERC Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Oxford
Project: Grain-size dynamics of the mantle and applications to MORs
Samuel Weatherley

Dr. Sam Weatherley

DPhil 2013, University of Oxford, Funded by NERC
Project: Reactive magmatic flow in a deforming mantle
On to: Postdoc at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland 
John Crowley

Dr. John Crowley

European Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associate
Project: Ice ages, sea level, and magmatism: coupled oscillations
Adina-Erika Pusok 

Adina-Erika Pusok

MSci 2012, University of Oxford
Project: Active convection beneath mid-ocean ridges
On to: PhD at University of Mainz, Germany.
 Jules Tampier

Jules Tampier

ENS Lyon research internship, Univ. Oxford
Project: Dislocation population dynamics under oscillatory loading 
 Jesse Taylor-West

Jesse Taylor-West 

NERC REP summer student, University of Oxford
On to: Part IV of the Cambridge mathematics tripos. 
Jennifer Truby

Jennifer Truby

MSci 2012, University of Oxford
Project: gas percolation through a visco-elastic medium
On to: PhD at Durham University, UK. 
 Hanwen Zhang

Dr. Hanwen Zhang

DPhil 2024, University of Oxford
Project: Fluid-driven fracture and its role in rifting
Co-supervised by Prof Laura Stevens, Earth Sciences
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
October 2023. Back row, from left: Hamish Hay (PDRA), Josh Fallows (MSc student), Tim Davis (PDRA), Ikenna Obasi (visiting scientist), Luke Kearney (PhD student). Front row from left: Richard Katz (PI), Hanwen Zhang (PhD student), Danqing Luo (MSc student), Yuan Li (PDRA), Rhiannon Ackland (PhD student), Adina Pusok (PDRA), FoaLab October 2023

November 2022. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Yuan Li (PDRA), Ed Farrelly (MSc student), Hamish Hay (PDRA), Tim Davis (PDRA), Adina Pusok (PDRA), Luke Kearney (PhD student), Hanwen Zhang (PhD student).FoaLab November 2022
July 2021. From top-left by row: Yuan Li (PDRA), Richard Katz (PI), Adina Pusok (PDRA), Luke Kearney (PhD student), Tom Breithaupt (PhD student), Jules Tampier (research intern), Hanwen Zhang (PhD student), Tim Davis (to join as PDRA), Joel-Pascal Ntwali N'Konzi (reseach intern).FoaLab July 2021
July 2019. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Meng Tian (PDRA), Hanwen Zhang (visiting student), Dan Spencer (PhD student), Marianne Haseloff (PDRA), Tom Breithaupt (PhD student), Adina Pusok (PDRA), Dave May (affiliate). Photo: Sam Cornish.FoaLab July 2019

 

July 2018. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Tom Breithaupt (PhD student), Dan Spencer (PhD student), Marianne Haseloff (PDRA), David Rees Jones (PDRA), Dave May (affiliate), Parker Liautaud (visiting PhD student). Not pictured: David Liu (summer student), Meng Tian (PDRA), Jamie Parkinson (PhD student). Photo: Sam Cornish.FoaLab July 2018
 
July 2017. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Meng Tian (PDRA), Nestor Cerpa-Gilvonio (PDRA), Tong Bo (summer research student), Dave May (affiliate). Not pictured: David Rees Jones (PDRA), Jonathan Burley (PhD student), Jamie Parkinson (PhD student)FoaLab July 2017

July 2016. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Meng Tian (PDRA), Jonathan Burley (PhD student), David Rees-Jones (PDRA), Tobias Keller (PDRA), Ben Jackson (research assistant), Grace Manley (MSc student), Andrew Turner (PDRA). FoaLab July 2016October 2015. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Jonathan Burley (PhD student), Lewis Carney (MSc student), David Rees-Jones (PDRA), Tobias Keller (PDRA), Andrew Turner (PDRA), Katie Kumamoto (visiting PhD student), Jessica Warren (visiting professor) FoaLab October 2015October 2014. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Laura Alisic (collaborator, PDRA Cambridge), Sander Rhebergen (PDRA), Andrew Turnder (PDRA), Tobias Keller (PDRA), Jonathan Smith (MSc student), Jonathan Burley (PhD student) 
FoaLab October 2014
July 2014. From left: [front row] Richard Katz (PI), Sjoerd Hack (visiting student), Teresa Kyrke-Smith (recent alum), Jesse Taylor-West (summer research student), Andrew Turner (PDRA); [back row] Tim-Frederik Dauck (summer research student), Tobias Keller (PDRA), Sander Rhebergen (PDRA), Jonathan Burley (DPhil candidate)FoaLab July 2014
October 2013. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Jonathan Burley (DPhil candidate), Sander Rhebergen (PDRA), Tobias Keller (PDRA), Teresa Kykre-Smith (DPhil candidate), Andrew Turner (PDRA)FoaLab October 2013
June 2013. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Owen Evans (research assistant), Sander Rhebergen (PDRA), Peter Harvey (summer research student), Teresa Kykre-Smith (DPhil candidate) Group photo, June 2013
August 2012. From left: Richard Katz (PI), John Crowley (PDRA), Michael Ferguson (undergrad summer research student), Sander Rhebergen (PDRA), Sam Weatherley (DPhil candidate), Teresa Kykre-Smith (DPhil candidate) Group photo, August 2012
October 2011. From left: Richard Katz (PI), Jen Truby (MSc candidate), Teresa Kyrke-Smith (DPhil candidate), Adina-Erika Pusok (MSc candidate), Sam Weatherley (DPhil candidate), Yasuko Takei (Visiting professor). Group photo, October 2011