Group history
Member history of the Computational & Observational Geodynamics group, including former faculty, visitors, researchers and students.
Computational and observational geodynamics at ANU has a long lineage, extending from foundational work on mantle convection to today's integration of numerical simulation, inverse methods and observations. The tables below recognise former faculty, research staff, visitors and students. Detailed staff and student records from 2013 onward reflect the period since Rhodri Davies joined ANU.
Group photographs
Sia Ghelichkhan and Mark Hoggard. |
Patrick Ball and Rhodri Davies after the 2020 Canberra hailstorm. |
Rhodri Davies with Karol Czarnota (Geoscience Australia) and Marthe Klöcking, 2021. |
Ingo Stotz, Manon Dalaison and Tim Jones, 2016. |
Computational and Observational Geodynamics group members. Back row, from left: Fangqin Chen, Shihao Jiang, Rhodri Davies, Thomas Duvernay and Leon Bilton. Front: Emily and Christopher Mathews. |
Shihao Jiang. |
Fangqin Chen receiving flowers after her PhD seminar. |
Former faculty
| Faculty member | Years | Research focus | Current position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geoff Davies | 1992-2009 | Mantle convection and the thermal and chemical evolution of Earth | ANU Visiting Fellow |
| Giampiero Iaffaldano | 2010-14 | Observational geodynamics, plate-motion changes and lithosphere-mantle dynamics | University of Parma |
Former researchers
| Researcher | Year | Topic | Career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhys Hawkins | 2022-24 | Probabilistic methods for geophysical inversion | One Zero Financial Systems |
| Patrick Ball | 2020-21 | Geochemical constraints on Australia's Cenozoic volcanic record | Colorado State University |
| Marthe Klöcking | 2019-21 | Probing the lithosphere using mafic geochemistry | University of Münster |
Former students
PhD students
| Student | Year | Thesis | Career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shihao Jiang | 2021-25 | Linking Ocean Island Basalt Geochemistry with Mantle Plume Dynamics | ANU PhD. Now a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Tasmania. |
| Fangqin Chen | 2018-23 | Controls on the Dynamics of Subducting Slabs in a 3-D Spherical Shell Domain | ANU PhB, Honours and PhD, followed by a Master of Secondary Teaching. Now a Mathematics Teacher at Canberra Girls Grammar School. |
| Thomas Duvernay | 2017-22 | Unravelling the Dynamical Mechanisms Underpinning Intra-Plate Volcanism Within and Around Earth's Continents | MSc at IPGP and PhD at ANU. Now a Postdoctoral Fellow at ANU. |
| Christopher Mathews | 2017-21 | Methods for tracking material properties within an unstructured, adaptive mesh computational modelling framework, with application to simulating the development of seismic anisotropy at spreading centres and transform faults | ANU PhD in computational geodynamics, followed by a move into operational meteorology. Now a Severe Weather Meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology. |
| Timothy Jones | 2013-18 | From Source to Surface: The dynamics of heterogeneous mantle plumes | Postdoctoral Fellowships at Carnegie and Scripps/UC San Diego, followed by roles at the University of Adelaide and in government. Now Head of Exploration Geophysics at Fleet Space Technologies. |
| Ingo Stotz | 2013-17 | Coupled Global Models of Mantle and Lithosphere Dynamics: Identifying the Forces Governing Pacific Plate Motions since the Mid-Miocene | PhD finalised at the University of Copenhagen, followed by DFG-funded research. Now a Postdoctoral Researcher in Geodynamics at LMU Munich. |
MPhil and Master's students
| Student | Year | Thesis | Career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leon Bilton | 2021-24 | PyDRex: Predicting crystallographic preferred orientation in peridotites under steady-state and time-dependent strain | ANU MPhil in geodynamics and seismic anisotropy. Now a Senior Data Analyst at DCCEEW. |
Honours students
| Student | Year | Thesis | Career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxwell Etherington | 2026 | Reconstructing the geodynamic blueprint of copper formation | Completed Honours in 2026. |
| Kat Simeonoff | 2026 | Can we unblur Earth? Revealing the limitations of tomographic resolution | Completed Honours in 2026. |
| Ruby Hackett | 2024-25 | Disentangling modern melting and GIA signals by combining gravity and GPS observations | ANU Honours in sea-level rise and glacial isostatic adjustment. Now a Senior Regulatory Officer at the Clean Energy Regulator. |
| Ruby Turner | 2022 | Exploring the use of geochemical observations in reconstructing the spatial and temporal evolution of mantle flow | ANU Honours in inverse geodynamics. Now an ANU PhD Candidate in inverse geodynamics. |
| Fletcher Howell | 2021 | The role of dynamic topography in ocean cooling trends | ANU University Medal, followed by a move into transport-safety research. Now a PhD Candidate at Monash University. |
| Manon Dalaison | 2016 | Small-scale convection beneath oceanic lithosphere | PhD at ENS and postdoctoral research at CEA. Now a Lecturer in Geophysics at IPGP. |
Future Research Talent Awards - India
| Student | Year | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Nikhil Seth | 2024-25 | |
| Niranjana Joy | 2024-25 | |
| Shrestha Gupta | 2024-25 | |
| Japjeet Singh | 2024-25 | |
| Prahlada Mittal | 2024-25 | |
| Sumit Bagchi | 2024-25 | |
| Ishan Tandon | 2021-22 | |
| Arjav Shah | 2019-2020 |
Other student projects and internships
| Student | Year | Program |
|---|---|---|
| Olivia Cooling | 2024 | Special topic |
| Callum Sambridge | 2018 | Special topic |
| Ashley Ellis | 2017 | Internship |
| Katie Bell | 2015 | Internship |
| Elliot Davis | 2015 | Internship |
| Alex Ellwood | 2014 | Special topic |
Former visitors
| Visitor | Year | Topic | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lorine Bonnamy | 2026 | Subduction | University of Montpellier |
| Nestor Cerpa | 2026 | Subduction | University of Montpellier |
| Fanny Garel | 2025 | Subduction | University of Montpellier |
| David Ham | 2021 | Firedrake and G-ADOPT | Imperial College London |
| Stephan Kramer | 2017-2025 | Fluidity and G-ADOPT | Imperial College London |
| Cian Wilson | 2017 | Fluidity | Carnegie Institution for Science |
| Saskia Goes | 2016 | Subduction dynamics | Imperial College London |
| Nick Rawlinson | 2015 | Intra-plate volcanism | University of Cambridge |
| Mike Gurnis | 2014 | Computational geodynamics | Caltech |
