Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley

UC Berkeley is a major research university known for excellence across all academic fields, especially in science and engineering.

Geodynamic Modeling of Ocean Island Emergence and Subsidence Histories for Applications to Evolutionary Biology in the Galápagos and Other Ocean Island Systems.

The colonization, speciation, and extinction of endemic ocean island species, such as the famous Galápagos iguanas, can be understood in terms of the emergence and subsidence histories of ocean islands (e.g., hotspot tracks), in addition to climate-driven changes in ocean currents and wind circulation. This postdoc will continue work in my research group modeling the geophysics of island emergence and subsidence in time (i.e., volcanic construction, crustal intrusion, plume buoyancy, oceanic plate motion and aging) in order to understand the mainland origins of endemic Galápagos species, as well as other ocean island systems. Although mainly focused upon geophysical modeling, this postdoc will have the opportunity to work with physical oceanographers and geneticists in a truly interdisciplinary effort to advance what has traditionally been referred to as “island bio-geography,” perhaps now better described as “island bio-geology,” and the broader realm of the interaction of geophysical, climate, and evolutionary processes. The basic qualification for this position is a PhD in geodynamic modeling, preferably with experience in marine geophysics.

Please e-mail directly Professor Mark Richards, University of California, Berkeley, to inquire about this position:

mark_richards@berkeley.edu