Christopher A. Scholz

Christopher A. Scholz is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on paleolimnology, rift basin evolution, and the interplay between tectonic, climatic, and depositional processes in extensional systems.

• Research Grants: National Science Foundation, oil/gas consortiums, local agencies
• Education: Ph.D. (Duke University, 1989), M.S. (University of Minnesota, 1985), B.A. (University of Vermont, 1981)
• Students: Mentors doctoral candidates in rift geology and paleoclimate studies

Research Interests: Scholz investigates sedimentary records of past climate change and tectonic activity in tropical lakes (Africa, New York Finger Lakes, Basin & Range). His work combines seismic reflection, multibeam bathymetry, and core analysis to study rift basin dynamics and climate-human evolution links.

Recent Publications: His studies (2020–2025) span Cosmic Explorer site evaluation, Turkana Basin drilling, Lake Tanganyika paleoclimate, and climate-rift interactions in East Africa. Key methods include luminescence dating, seismic imaging, and biogeochemical analysis.

• Scientific Honors: Israel C. Russell Award (2022)
• Facilities: Landmark seismic workstations, GEOTEK core logger, R2Sonic multibeam echosounder, vibracoring systems

Grants: Leads NSF-funded projects on Cosmic Explorer observatories, Lake Malawi fault behavior, and New York lake nutrient dynamics. Collaborates with Chevron, Petrobras, and Cornell University.

Labs/Teams: Directs the Basin Analysis Lab, working with international teams from Northern Arizona University and Malawi’s Geological Survey Department. Recent expeditions on Lake Malawi used R/V Timba for seismic surveys and core integration.