Estella Atekwana

Estella Atekwana is a Distinguished Professor and Dean of the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, Davis. She leads the largest academic unit on campus, overseeing 37 departments across arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM disciplines. Previously, she served as Dean at the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean and Environment and as Head of Oklahoma State University’s Boone Pickens School of Geology. She is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and recipient of the SEG’s Reginald Fessenden Award (2021) and multiple Outstanding Educator Awards.

Her research focuses on biogeophysics, continental rifting processes, and geodynamic modeling. Notable projects include the DRIAR initiative studying dry rifting in Uganda’s Albertine Rift and collaborative NSF-funded research on the East African Rift System. She has secured $11.7M in research funding, primarily from NSF, DOE, and industry partners. Her work integrates geophysical techniques with environmental applications, including groundwater characterization and hydrocarbon contamination remediation.

Education: B.Sc. & M.Sc. in Geology (Howard University); Ph.D. in Geophysics (Dalhousie University, 1991). She chairs Botswana International University of Science and Technology’s governing board and contributes to global geoscience sustainability initiatives through the UN SDGs.

• Key Projects: DRIAR Project (Uganda), Norman Landfill Geophysical Study (Oklahoma), and Lunar Volcanism Studies (Chang'E-5 mission).
• Advocacy: Promotes diversity in geosciences through DEI initiatives and serves on the American Geophysical Union’s committees.