Caroline E. Seyler

Caroline E. Seyler is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Southern California. Her research focuses on the rheology of fault and shear zones, particularly how deformation at the grain scale influences large-scale tectonics and earthquake cycles. She investigates processes like frictional healing, subduction zone dynamics, and metamorphic feedbacks. Seyler holds a Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from McGill University (2021) and a B.Sc. in Geological Sciences from Brown University (2015).

• Positions: Assistant Professor (USC, 2024–present), Postdoc (University of Minnesota Twin Cities and University of Texas at Austin, 2021–2023)

Her research integrates field, experimental, and microanalytical methods. Key projects include studying the Leech River Shear Zone (Vancouver Island) as a paleo-subduction interface and investigating clay's role in fault slip behavior. Seyler has received NSF grants and awards like the AGU Outstanding Student Presentation Award. She also contributes to leadership roles, including organizing field schools in tectonic regions like the Canadian Cordillera and Massif Central, France.

Her recent publications highlight studies on subduction zone rheology, frictional properties of fault gouges, and metamorphic processes in shear zones. She has conducted over 20 field campaigns and experimental studies on rock deformation mechanisms.