Research Interests - I consider myself a broadly trained structural geologist.
Field Research
I have conducted field work in contractional, extensional, and strike-slip tectonic regimes and have worked in rocks from the near-surface to amphibolite facies metamorphic environments. During my graduate studies, I have worked in the North Cascades, WA (MS Thesis) and Baja California, Mexico (Ph.D). My Ph.D. research focused on the Paleozoic and Mesozoci evolution of Baja California. Following the completion of my degree, I continued to work in Baja California on neotectonics and active faulting related to the evolution of the San Andreas transform plate boundary. Due to travel restrictions to Mexico imposed by the university that research is currently on hold. As a result I have worked in the Big Bend area in West Texas and in the Northern Sierra Nevada.
I have advised several theses in Baja California and one thesis in the Big Bend area. I have several ideas for potential MS projects in both Big Bend and northern California.
Subsurface Research
Most of my more recent research has been related to subsurface geology related to oil and gas exploration. I have had a particular interest in the exploration of unconventional resources such as the Barnett or Eagle Ford Shales. In light of that interest, I have gained expertise in fracture analyses and have developed an interest in rock strengths and in-situ stress determinations related to rock failure and reactivation of preexisting mechanical discontinuties. I also have an on-going research project looking at the structural evolution of the Barnett Shale near the Munster Arch.
Most of my students currently work on these projects and I have several more ideas on projects related to the above topics.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions about my research and potential research projects. Please also contact me if you have a general interest in the Master's Program at TCU since I am the Graduate Advisor for the School of Geology, Energy, and the Environment.