Catriona Menzies

Dr. Catriona Menzies serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University since 2019, following academic appointments at the University of Aberdeen (2018-2019) and University of Southampton (2013-2018). Her research centers on active tectonics, fluid-rock interactions, and geochemical cycling in plate boundary settings, with fieldwork focused on New Zealand's Alpine Fault and the Mariana Convergent Margin.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Geochemistry, University of Southampton (2008-2012)
• BSc (Hons) in Geoscience, University of St. Andrews (2004-2008)

Dr. Menzies investigates fluid-mediated processes across tectonic scales, including chemical weathering, serpentinisation, carbon cycling, and hydrothermal systems. Her work integrates field observations from fault drilling projects with geochemical analyses to understand how fluids influence fault mechanics, seismic cycles, and element cycling in convergent margins. She has pioneered research on serpentinite mud volcanoes as windows into subduction zone processes.

Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent focus on quantifying fluid-rock interactions in active fault zones, with methodological emphasis on isotope geochemistry and hydrological modeling. Her work demonstrates how fluid flow governs heat transport, rock alteration, and carbon cycling in plate boundary environments, bridging structural geology and biogeochemical cycles.

Dr. Menzies currently supervises three PhD students: Arijit Chakraborty, Ella Richmond, and Will Nicholson. Her research is conducted through international collaborations including the Deep Fault Drilling Project (DFDP), involving institutions from New Zealand, Japan, and Europe.

She is integral to multidisciplinary teams studying the Alpine Fault through the DFDP drilling initiatives, where she leads geochemical investigations of fault zone materials and fluid systems. Her fieldwork combines downhole measurements with laboratory analyses to characterize fluid pathways and reaction histories in active tectonic settings.