Thorsten Becker

Thorsten W. Becker is a Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, holding the Shell Companies Foundation Distinguished Chair in Geophysics. He is also a Senior Research Scientist at the Institute for Geophysics and a Faculty Associate at the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. His research focuses on the co-evolution of planetary interiors and surface systems, integrating geodynamic modeling, seismology, and field data to study processes like plate tectonics, mantle convection, and seismic anisotropy.

Becker earned a Diplom in Physics from Goethe University (Frankfurt) and a Ph.D. in Geophysics from Harvard University. He has held academic positions at the University of Southern California and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. His honors include the Augustus Love Medal (EGU), Evgueni Burov Medal (IUGG), and Fellow of the American Geophysical Union.

His teaching interests span Tectonic Geodynamics, Natural Hazards, and Numerical Modeling. He chairs the US National Academies’ Standing Committee on Solid Earth Geophysics and has led major initiatives like the NSF-funded Megathrust Modeling Framework. His work bridges computational geoscience, tectonics, and geodynamic theory, with over 160 peer-reviewed publications.

Recent research emphasizes mantle flow dynamics, slab interactions, and AI-driven seismic analysis. Key contributions include models of subduction termination, slab-induced cratonic thinning, and the role of mechanical anisotropy in tectonic processes.