Chris Klootwijk

Dr Chris Klootwijk is a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University's Research School of Earth Sciences (ANU-RSES), holding this position since 2009. Previously, he served as a Visiting Fellow at ANU's Department of Geology/Earth and Marine Sciences (2000–2008) and held roles such as Principal Research Scientist at BMR/AGSO (1986–2000). His academic journey includes a PhD in Geophysics from Utrecht University (1974), alongside multiple MSc and BSc degrees in Geology and Geophysics from the same institution. He has extensive international experience, including roles at institutions in France, the Netherlands, and India.

• Education:
  • PhD (1974), MSc Geophysics (1974), MSc Geology (1970), BSc Geology (1968) – all from Utrecht University
  • Graduate Certificate in Object-Oriented Programming (2002)
• Key Appointments:
  • Research Fellow, ANU-RSES (1975–1980)
  • Seismologist at Shell International (1975)
  • Lecturer at Utrecht University (1971–1975)

Research Interests: Dr Klootwijk specializes in tectonic evolution, paleomagnetism, and geodynamics. His work focuses on topics such as the Alice Springs Orogeny, Australia-Asia convergence, Tasmanides evolution, and Paleozoic plate configurations. He employs paleomagnetic methods to investigate orogenic processes, continental collision, and paleogeographic reconstructions.

Publications: His research spans over 100 peer-reviewed articles, with a focus on Paleozoic tectonics, paleomagnetic dating, and continental dynamics. Recent work includes studies on Pangea-B configurations and inertial interchange true polar wander events.

Affiliations & Labs: Based at the Black Mountain Laboratory (J6 room 204), he contributes to the Palaeoenvironments research group. His work integrates field data with advanced paleomagnetic analysis to address global geodynamic questions.