Teaching and Mentoring

Selected lecture notes, slides, maps, and other material

• Textbook and lecture notes
  • Becker, T. W. and Faccenna, C.: Tectonic Geodynamics, Princeton University Press, 2025.
    • Lecture slide decks for Tectonic Geodynamics (UT S25 version, large zip file with selected material ppts)
  • Numerical Modeling of Earth Systems (222+ p.)
• Other lecture slide decks on
  • Geoscientific data analysis using UNIX and GMT
  • GE-level Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Seismic Hazard (5 ppt)
  • Grad-level Mantle Convection (3 ppt)
  • Subduction Zone Modeling (5 PDF)
  • Short course on C Programming
• Lab to Planet Geodynamics Jupyter Notebooks
• Teaching and research visualizations
• Global plate tectonic maps for poster printing
• Megathrust Modeling Framework (MTMOD) Summer School material

• Earth from Lab to Planet (UT GEO 315L): S24, S25
  Undergraduate class focused on lab and computer experiments to develop an understanding of how simple physical systems based on key constitutive laws can be used to understand the Earth on global scales.
  • UT class material on Canvas
  • reference class web page (outside Canvas)
  • A set of Jupyter notebooks of Python ODE and PDE teaching modules developed by Dunyu Liu and myself, the Github repository includes teaching modules for simple driven harmonic oscillators, stick-slip friction, rate-state friction, the Lorentz system, heat conduction, Stokes flow (using an interface to FEniCX), as well as surface transport problems (with an interface to Landlab).
• Tectonic Geodynamics (UT GEO 350L/398L): S19, S20, S21, S22, S25
  Undergraduate major and grad student class on mantle and lithospheric dynamics, combining tectonics and geodynamics to understand the links between surface deformation and mantle convection.
  • UT class material on Canvas
  • Becker, T. W. and Faccenna, C.: Tectonic Geodynamics, Princeton University Press, 2025.
    • large zip file with selected material ppts
  • other lectures slide sets on: GE-level Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Seismic Hazard, grad level Mantle Convection, Subduction Zone Modeling
• Physics of Earth (UT GEO 354/384D): S24
  Undergraduate major and grad class providing an introduction to the theoretical and observational fundamentals for an understanding of how the solid Earth works.
  • UT class material on Canvas
  • old material
    • Geophysics (USC 440): S05, S14, S16
    • Death Valley field work pictures (S05)
• Crisis of our Planet (UT 302P/J): S18, S19, S20, S21, S22
  Undergraduate intro class on natural disasters, hazard, and risk. Links solid Earth structure and dynamics with societal considerations for natural hazards.
  • UT class material on Canvas
  • Plate tectonics, earthquake physics, and seismic hazard lecture slides as ppt (2021 versions)
    1. Plate tectonics
    2. Earth`s interior
    3. Earthquake physics
    4. Earthquake hazards
    5. Tsunami
    6. Seismic hazard assessment
    7. Risk mitigation
  • old material
    • Crises of a Planet (USC 108): F11, F12, F13, F14, F15
• Geoscientific data analysis using UNIX and GMT: S21
  Eight session workshop class on UNIX, GMT, and geoscientific data analysis.
  • Class presentations on
    1. UNIX I - basics
    2. UNIX II - scripting
    3. GMT I - location maps
    4. GMT II - projections
    5. GMT III - fitting 2-D surfaces
    6. GMT IV - curve fitting and 1-D plots
    7. Paraview and 3-D visualization
  • UT Class material on Canvas
  • old material
    • Universita di Roma TRE short course (2012)
• Geodynamics (UT GEO 371T/391): F17
  Undergraduate major and grad student class on mantle and lithospheric dynamics.
  • class syllabus, material on Canvas
  • old material
    • lectures slide sets on: GE-level Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Seismic Hazard, grad level Mantle Convection, Subduction Zone Modeling
    • Lithospheric Deformation (USC 534, co-taught with John Platt): S06, F07, F09, F11, F14
    • The Mantle System (USC 540): S09
• Introduction to Geology (UT GEO 303): S17
  Undergraduate intro class introducing the solid Earth sciences across the scales.
• Numerical Modeling of Earth Systems (USC 557): F05, F08, S13, S16
  • lecture notes/textbook draft
    • Becker, T. W. and Kaus, B. J. P (2020): Numerical Modeling of Earth Systems: An introduction to computational methods with focus on solid Earth applications of continuum mechanics, The University of Texas at Austin, v. 1.2.2, 2020. (PDF, accompanying Matlab code for exercises)
    • Becker, T. W. and Kaus, B. J. P (2015): Numerical Modeling of Earth Systems: An introduction to computational methods with focus on solid Earth applications of continuum mechanics. figshare, doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.1555628, 2015. (PDF)
  • syllabus, course web site
• Quantitative methods in the Earth Sciences (USC 425L): F09
  • with Julien Emile-Geay, his lecture notes on Data Analysis in the Earth & Environmental Sciences
  • syllabus
• Engineering Geology (USC 305L): S07, S09, S10, S12, S13, S14, S15
  • San Andreas Fault Field Trip, 2009
• Graduate seminars
  • Global Solid Earth Dynamics (UT GEO 391): F20
    Graduate seminar on planetary dynamics, from the magnetic field to the carbon cycle and climate, with focus on terrestrial planets in our solar system and exoplanets. Combines reading, in-class discussion, and Matlab/python numerical modeling exercises.
    • syllabus, class material on Canvas
  • Physics and Chemistry of the Mantle (UT GEO 391): F19
    Undergraduate major/graduate seminar on deep Earth dynamics, focusing on the Earth's mantle, including the transition zone and core-mantle boundary dynamics.
    • syllabus, class material on Canvas
  • older graduate seminars (USC 599)
    • Subduction: S12 (syllabus, reading)
    • Strain-localization: F09 (web site, reading, other material)
    • Plate tectonics over time: F06
    • Deep Earth Dynamics: S09

Summer schools and short courses

• Doctoral training, Solid Earth (October 2019)

  I participated in L. Husson and T. Bodin's Doctoral training school for Solid Earth graduate students in Barcelonette, France, in October 2019. My geodynamics lectures were on
  • An Introduction to Mantle Convection doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.20150.24642,
  • Global Mantle Circulation Modeling doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.33572.01924, and
  • From Global to Regional Geodynamics doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.11761.63849.

• Cooperative Institute for Deep Earth Research (CIDER)

  • Cin-Ty Lee, Richard Allen, and myself chaired the 2013 CIDER summer program From mantle to crust: continental formation and destruction.
  • I have also been an intructor and participant at several other CIDER summer schools:
    • Subduction Dynamics, June 2017, Berkeley, CA.
      • Becker, T. W.: Geodynamics I: Subduction zone dynamics and global mantle flow, lecture at CIDER, doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.30080.02562, 2017. (PDF)
    • Flow in the Deep Earth. June 2016, KITP, Santa Barbara, CA
      • Becker, T. W.: Geodynamics III: Integrating Geophysical Observations into Global Mantle Flow models, lecture at CIDER, doi: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1082.5209, 2016. (PDF, movie)
        
        
    • Dynamics of Mountain Building. June 2011, Berkeley, CA
    • Water and volatiles in the Earth's mantle and core, June 2010, KITP, Santa Barbara, CA

• Mapping and Modeling Earth Science Data

  • Short course on UNIX, GMT, and visualization at UT Austin Spring 2021
  • Short course at the University of Rome Three, June 2012. Provides a brief introduction to UNIX, shell scripting, programming, the Unified Geodynamics Earth Science Computing Environment, making maps with GMT, and other data analysis and visualization tools.
    • course web site with lecture notes and other material

• Subduction Zone Modeling (2011)

  Short course held the University of Roma TRE, April 2011, on numerical and analog modeling of subduction zones and slab dynamics on regional on global scales. Part of the Geodynamics Graduate School at Roma TRE.

  Lecture slides:

  1. Earth structure and rheology
  2. Fluid dynamics and mantle convection
  3. Regional subduction zone models
  4. Global subduction models
  5. Integrated subduction zone modeling

Computing and scientific visualization in the Earth Sciences

• Lab to Planet Geodynamics Jupyter Notebooks

  A set of Jupyter notebooks of Python ODE and PDE teaching modules developed by Dunyu Liu and myself for UT GEO Lab to Planet, an undergraduate class focused on lab and computer experiments to develop an understanding of how simple physical systems based on key constitutive laws can be used to understand the Earth system.
  • The Github repository includes teaching modules for simple driven harmonic oscillators, stick-slip friction, rate-state friction, the Lorentz system, heat conduction, Stokes flow (using an interface to FEniCX), as well as surface transport problems (with an interface to Landlab).

• Unified Geodynamics Earth Science Computing Environment (UGESCE)

  A VirtualBox Linux install including a range of solid Earth science software and datasets, including SEATREE and iGMT.

• Computing and mapping lectures and notes

  • Short course on UNIX, GMT, and visualization at UT Austin Spring 2021
  • Short course on Mapping and Modeling Earth Science Data (06/2012) Introduction to UNIX, shells, shell scripting, and programming along with a tutorial on GMT, UGESCE, mapping, and some comments on data analysis and visualization.
  • Short course on GMT and mapping (without intro to UNIX, S12): tutorial slides on GMT and iGMT.
  • Short course on C programming: S09
  • Numerical Geodynamics lecture notes

• The Solid Earth Research and Teaching Environment (SEATREE)

  A python-based graphical and script-driven interface to solid Earth geodynamics and seismology modeling tools. The goal is to provide easy but transparent access to research tools for teaching, and to facilitate interdisciplinary research.

• iGMT: A graphical user interface for GMT

  iGMT provides a graphical user interface for the Generic Mapping Tool (GMT) routines and can be used to learn and teach GMT.
  • The iGMT web page

• Maps, movies and visualizations

  • Global tectonic maps for download
  • Other teaching visualizations

Community and outreach activities

• Guest lecturer, Computer Science and Modeling of Earth Systems Cate School, Carpenteria, November 2014.
• Leader for "Michael Heizer: Actual Size, Gallery Walkthrough" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, September 2012.

Meeting of Young Researchers in the Earth Sciences (MYRES)

Mentoring and Training

• Advising (superscript numerals refer to joint publication arising from supervised work)

  • Summer undergraduate interns:
    • At UT Austin: Dorothy Linnemann (2017, Scripps College, with Lavier), Jorge Garcia (2023, UT Austin), Violeta Andrade (2024, UC Berkeley).
    • At USC: Fabienne Stockmann (2014, Münster University), Simon Schneider (2013, Münster University), Kevin Milner³⁵ (2008, USC), Jared Sain³⁵ (2008, USC), Hannah Waterhouse³⁵ (2008, Bryn Mawr College), and Katrin Plenkers (2005, Karlsruhe).
  • Undergraduate advisees:
    • At UT Austin: Olivia Dittrich (2025 -), Alan Stone (2025 -), Dhary Alrushaid (thesis committee member, 2024 - 2025), Miles Mackenzie (research advisor, Physics, 2022-2023), Jake Goins (research committee member, 2020-2021), Zel Hurewitz (BSc 2019, Physics; grad school UCSD)
    • At USC: Bradford Foley⁴¹ (BSc 2008; Associate Professor, Penn State)
  • MSc students:
    • At UT Austin: Antoine Demont (visiting from ENS Paris, 2020), Kunpeng Liao (MSc 2018; CGG)
    • At USC: Zi-Yu Wu (MSc 2010; Guosen Securities) and Claire Steedman³² (MSc 2006; Iris Environmental)
  • PhD students:
    • At UT Austin:
      • current: Xiang He (2024-) and Huiwen Sun (2022-).
      • Edward Clennett¹⁵¹ (PhD 2024, Instructor at Birkbeck College)
      • Ethan M. Conrad^152,159 (PhD 2024, Post-doc at UCL)
      • Simone Puel^{128,144,153,156,161} (PhD 2023; Post-doc at Caltech, now at Moody's Analytics)
      • Erin Heilman^146,158 (PhD 2023; research scientist at LANL),
      • Wanying Wang¹²⁵ (PhD 2021; research scientist at bp)
    • At USC:
      • Adam Holt^{87,89,90,92,105-107,113} (PhD 2016; Assistant Professor, University of Miami)
      • Michael Kaplan (PhD 2015; Post-doc, Duke; MD)
      • Mélanie Gérault^62,121 (PhD 2014; Post-doc, MIT)
      • Thomas Goebel^{61, 69, 75, 77, 80, 111} (PhD 2013; Associate Professor, University of Memphis)
      • Lisa Alpert^51,63,73 (PhD 2012; Lecturer at Cal State Bakersfield and Aera Energy Llc.)
      • Iain Bailey^38,47,51,63 (PhD 2009; Exposure Lead, IQUW, London)
    • PhD committee service at UT Austin:
      • Sujith Swaminadhan, (2025-), Sohini Dasgupta (2023-), Avigyan Chatterjee (2021-), Chenyu Tian (2020-), Chujie Liu (2017-2023, PhD 2023), Keith Minor (2019-2022, PhD 2022), Juan Gutierrez (2021-2022), Eric Hiatt (2020-2021), Brandon Schuck (2018-2021, PhD 2021), Peter Nelson (2017-2020, PhD 2020), Alexandra Lachner (2019-2020), Yanyao Zhang (2018-2020), Kristina Butler (2018-2020), Chang Lu (2018-2020), Brooklyn Gose (2017-2020), and Lily R. Serach (2017-2019).
  • Other PhD committee service:
    • At the University of Southern California, Los Angeles: Jessica Stellman⁹³ (2014-2020), William Schmidt (2015-2016), Beth Paulson (2014-2016), Xinjiang Xiang (2015), Xin Song (2014-2015), Xin Liu (2014-2015), Chris Milliner (2013-2015), Haoran Xia (2013-2015), Francoix Cadieux (PhD 2015), Feng Wang (PhD 2013), Prabu Sellappan (PhD 2013), Whitney Behr (PhD 2011), Zheqiang Shi (PhD 2008), Adam Fischer (PhD 2008), and Jeremy Zechar (PhD 2008).
    • External PhD reviewer: Christopher Mathews (ANU, 2021), Angela Maria Gomez Garcia (U Medellin, 2020), Juliane Dannberg (GFZ Potsdam, 2016), Raquibul Hassan (U Sydney, 2016), Rene Gassmöller (GFZ Potsdam, 2014), and Sabin Zahirovic (U Sydney, 2014).
    • Member of the Board, International Graduate School, Department of Earth Sciences, Universita di Roma TRE, 2014-2022.
  • Post-docs:
    • Chao Song (2024-)
    • Chuanming Liu¹⁶² (2023-)
    • Kaixuan Kang (2023-)
    • Junlin Hua^149,164 (2022-2024; Assistant Professor, University of Science and Technology of China)
    • Antoniette Grima¹⁵⁷ (2020-2022; Assistant Professor, University of Glasgow)
    • Eivind Straume^155,165 (2021-2023; Post-Doc, University of Bergen)
    • Silvia Brizzi¹⁴¹ (2020-2022; Post-Doc, Universit`a di Roma TRE)
    • Rob Porritt^{88,100,124,140} (2017-2019; Research Geophysicist, Sandia).
    • Matt Weller¹²² (2016-2019; Assistant Professor, Rennselaer Polytechnical Institute)
    • Lukas Fuchs^{122,125,135,147,154} (2016-2018; Research Scientist, Frankfurt University)
    • Attreyee Ghosh^{44, 68} (2008-2010; Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore)
    • Boris Kaus^{20,31-33,40,62} (2005-2006; Full Professor, Mainz University)
    • Jules Browaeys²² (2006; Senior Geophysicist, Total)

• Undergraduate and graduate research opportunities

  • Please see the News Page for undergraduate and graduate study opportunities and how to get involved with research at UT Geodynamics.