Magali I. Billen

Magali I. Billen is a Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Davis. She holds a B.S. in Physics from the University of Puget Sound (1995) and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Geophysics from the California Institute of Technology (2001). After postdoctoral work at the University of Leeds and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, she joined UC Davis in 2003.

Her research focuses on numerical modeling of subduction zone dynamics, particularly the role of rock rheology, slab deformation, and 3D visualization techniques. Key topics include outer rise faulting, slab buckling, phase transitions, and the relationship between slab stress-state and deep earthquakes. She leads the KeckCAVES project, advancing 3D data visualization in geosciences.

• Awards: Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award (2017), UC Davis Chancellor's Fellow (2010–2011), NSF CAREER Grant (2007)
• Lab: EPS 2205, UC Davis
• Education Projects: 3D GeoStructures Visualization, KeckCAVES collaboration

Her work integrates geophysical observations, laboratory-derived rock properties, and numerical simulations to address subduction dynamics. Recent studies highlight strain-rate's role in deep earthquake localization and the impact of overriding plate structure on slab behavior.