Grace Shephard

Grace Shephard is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Planetary Habitability, University of Oslo, and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Australian National University (ANU). Her research spans geodynamics, plate tectonics, mantle convection, and Arctic/North Atlantic geology, with a focus on deep-time reconstructions and science communication tools. She leads the NFR Young Researcher Talent project 'POLARIS – The Arctic in Deep Time' (2021–2025) and has held visiting roles in Svalbard and Norway. Her expertise includes seismic tomography, dynamic topography, and open science graphics repositories like s-Ink.org.

• PhD in Earth Sciences, University of Sydney (2014)
• Postdoctoral roles at CEED (2014–2016), VISTA (2016–2018)

Her research integrates global and regional plate tectonic reconstructions with mantle geodynamics, particularly in the Arctic, North Atlantic, and Pacific regions. Recent work explores crustal heterogeneity in Svalbard, mantle plume interactions, and accessible science graphics. She has co-authored 15+ peer-reviewed articles (2019–2025), including studies on the High Arctic Large Igneous Province and Svalbard's Paleozoic history. Notable awards include the Arne Richter Award for Outstanding Young Scientists (2016).

• Teaches AGx51 Arctic Tectonics and Volcanism (UNIS) and guest lectures in tectonics at UiO
• Supervises MSCA Fellow Dr. Amando Lasabuda and co-supervises PhD students Mesa Cala, Schneider, Sartell, and Chang
• Leads international outreach, including CEED outreach and social media coordination