Neotectonic Stress Analyses Professors and Supervisors

Şule GürboğaView profile

Associate Professor

Istanbul Technical UniversityTurkey

Assoc. Prof. Şule Gürboğa is affiliated with the Department of Geological Engineering at Istanbul Technical University's Faculty of Mines. Her research focuses on structural geology, active tectonics, and paleoseismology, with a particular emphasis on fault zone dynamics, seismic hazards, and neotectonic processes in Anatolia. She holds memberships in the American Geophysical Union (AGU), European Geosciences Union (EGU), and the Chamber of Geological Engineers. Education: Integrated PhD in Geological Engineering from Middle East Technical University (2003–2011), BSc in Geological Engineering from Ankara University (1996–2000). Additional professional training includes a degree from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (2007–2008). Research interests span fault kinematics, earthquake mechanisms, and climate-geology interactions. Her work integrates field studies, remote sensing (e.g., InSAR), and geochemical analyses to unravel tectonic processes in regions like the North Anatolian Fault and the Marmara Sea. Recent studies include investigations of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and paleoseismic records from Anatolian lakes. Professional roles include serving as an Engineer at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources since 2015, and prior experience in disaster management with the Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (2012–2015). She has contributed to over 25 peer-reviewed articles and actively participates in international geoscience collaborations.

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Mojtaba RajabiView profile

Senior Lecturer

University of QueenslandAustralia

Dr. Mojtaba Rajabi is a Senior Lecturer at the School of the Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland. With over 15 years of expertise in crustal stress analysis and geomechanics, he focuses on subsurface energy storage (CO₂/hydrogen), tectonic stress patterns, and AI applications in geosciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the University of Adelaide (2017) and serves as Deputy-Head of the World Stress Map project. Research Interests: Dr. Rajabi's work spans geomechanics of geo-storage, structural geology, neotectonic stress analyses, and machine learning. His research aims to develop sustainable subsurface solutions for energy transition, including safe CO₂ sequestration and hydrogen storage. Publications: His recent articles emphasize high-resolution stress mapping, geomechanical modeling, and fracture network analysis in sedimentary basins. Trends include integrating machine learning with geological data and advancing methodologies for subsurface storage safety. Awards: ARC-DECRA Award EAGE Louis Cagniard Award EGU TS Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award Royal Society of South Australia's H.G. Andrewartha Medal International Lithosphere Program’s Flinn-Hart Award Supervision & Grants: Dr. Rajabi mentors PhD students in geomechanics and subsurface characterization. He leads ARC-funded projects, including Multiscale geomechanical modelling of basin-scale CO2 storage (2024–2027) and The Australian tectonic stress state (2020–2025). Labs & Teams: He collaborates with the World Stress Map consortium and oversees projects on stress database standardization and basin-scale modeling.

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Kurt DeckerView profile

Researcher

University of ViennaAustria

Kurt Decker serves as a scientific employee at the Institute of Geology within the Faculty of Geosciences, Geography and Astronomy at the University of Vienna. With a doctorate in geology, he maintains an active research and teaching profile, supervising multiple MSc students and leading numerous research projects funded by institutions including FFG, Wien Energie, and NAGRA. His office is located in room 2A346, and he can be reached at +43-1-4277-53437. Dr. Decker specializes in Active Tectonics, Earthquake Geology, Applied Structural Geology and Tectonics, and Alpine Tectonics . His research focuses on understanding fault zone mechanics, seismic hazard assessment, and the hydrogeological properties of faults in carbonate rocks. He has made significant contributions to the study of the Vienna Basin Transfer Fault System, Alpine-Carpathian junction dynamics, and the stress field in the Eastern Alps. His work often employs multidisciplinary approaches combining field observations, seismic data, and borehole analysis. Analysis of Dr. Decker's recent publications reveals a strong focus on strike-slip fault systems , seismic hazard assessment , and fault zone hydrology . His research spans from microstructural investigations of rock deformation to regional-scale tectonic analyses. Key themes include the interaction of different deformation mechanisms in fault zones, the temporal evolution of seismicity, and the quantification of active tectonic processes in the Alpine region. His most recent work extends to 3D seismic interpretation and the study of fractured basement hydrocarbon reservoirs. Wilhelm-Ritter-von-Haidinger-Medal (2009) Dr. Decker has successfully secured substantial project funding, including the FFG/NiMBUC project on fracture discrimination in deep boreholes (2021-2023), multiple Wien Energie projects on geothermal energy exploration in Vienna (2018-2022), and various collaborations with Wiener Wasser on hydrogeological properties of faults. He has supervised 11 MSc students and regularly teaches courses including Strukturgeologie und Tektonik (Bachelor), Quantitative Strukturgeologie und Tektonik II (Master), and Active Tectonics. His research integrates field work, laboratory analysis, and numerical modeling, with particular emphasis on the application of structural geological methods to practical problems including nuclear waste repository siting, geothermal energy exploration, and seismic hazard assessment in the Alpine region.

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Sarah BoultonView profile

Associate Professor

University of PlymouthUnited Kingdom

Professor Sarah Boulton is the Deputy Head of School and Associate Head of School for Marketing and Recruitment at the University of Plymouth’s School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. She holds an academic rank of Associate Professor in Active and Neotectonics. Her research focuses on tectonic geomorphology, active faulting, and geological hazards, with significant contributions to understanding river systems’ responses to tectonic uplift and landslide dynamics. She co-founded the award-winning Girls into Geoscience programme to promote STEM diversity. Currently supervising PhD students in earthquake seismology, tsunami risk, and coastal hazards, she teaches GIS and geology modules, including fieldwork in Italy. Her research spans tectonic geomorphology in Turkey, Greece, and Nepal, emphasizing seismic hazard modeling, fluvial incision mechanisms, and landslide susceptibility. Notable achievements include developing geomorphic methods to quantify fault-slip rates and pioneering tsunami boulder transport studies. She has led international field missions, such as post-earthquake analyses in Türkiye and Nepal. Awards include the Geological Society RH Worth Award for her outreach work. Her work addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals related to disaster risk reduction and climate action.

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