Structural Geologist Explores from Andes to Canada
Structural Geologist Explores from Andes to Canada
Chelsea Mackaman-Lofland joined the faculty this academic year as our new assistant professor in structural geology and tectonics. Her research program seeks to understand how crustal, surface, and tectonic processes deform and shape Earth’s continents.
She comes to us after holding appointments as an assistant professor at Denison University, a National Science Foundation (NSF) postdoctoral fellow at the University of Connecticut, and an NSF graduate research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin.
Her research brings together a variety of methods, including geochronology, thermochronology, stable isotope geochemistry, and numerical (structural, geodynamic) modeling, in a way that is grounded in field-based techniques, from structural mapping and basin analysis to balanced cross-section construction.
She has ongoing projects exploring the complex tectonic history and seismic hazards of the southern central Andes and comparing processes observed there to the North American Cordillera. Other research directions investigate the relationships among thrust belt evolution in ancient and active mountain ranges, and the depositional records preserved in the sediments of adjacent foreland basins. She is actively addressing these questions within the Canadian fold-thrust belt, and is excited by related opportunities closer to home, in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
Mackaman-Lofland also brings a passion for Earth science education, especially making field experiences and methods more accessible for students across all experience levels and backgrounds. Her teaching is motivated by the knowledge that the world needs Earth scientists, and global citizens in other fields who understand Earth processes, to tackle the major societal challenges of obtaining natural resources, mitigating natural hazards, and managing habitats, including those of humans. She is committed to engaging and providing experiential learning opportunities for students and mentees spanning introductory through graduate levels.
