Kyle M. Straub

Kyle M. Straub is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Tulane University’s School of Science & Engineering. He teaches courses such as EENS 2090 – Shaping the Earth’s Surface, EENS 3270 – Sedimentation and Stratigraphy, and advanced graduate courses on depositional mechanics and 3D stratigraphy.

Education:

• Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007
• B.S., Pennsylvania State University, 2002

His research focuses on experimental sedimentology, quantitative stratigraphy, and submarine morphodynamics. Key projects include studying autogenic processes in stratigraphy, environmental signal preservation thresholds, and turbidity current dynamics in continental slope systems. He leads the Tulane Sediment Dynamics and Quantitative Stratigraphy Group, utilizing advanced facilities like the Deepwater Basin and Delta Basin for laboratory experiments.

Recent publications highlight interdisciplinary work on stratigraphic architecture, turbidity current circulation in minibasins, and the role of autogenic dynamics in sedimentary systems. His students have contributed to studies on deltaic morphodynamics, signal propagation in strata, and deepwater channel formation.

Labs & Facilities:

• Deepwater Basin: 2.2m deep, 6m long, used for submarine fan and delta construction experiments.
• Delta Basin: 0.65m deep, 4.2m long, for experimental studies on delta dynamics under varying base-level conditions.
• Particle Analysis Lab: Equipped with CAMSIZER and LA-300 for grain size analysis.
• Computer Cluster: Includes systems like Einstein (HP ProLiant ML310) and Monterey/Bengal (Dell Precision T7400) for numerical modeling.