Michael Lamb

Michael Lamb is a Professor of Geology at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He earned a B.S. from the University of Minnesota (2001), M.S. from the University of Washington (2004), and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley (2008). He joined Caltech as an Assistant Professor (2009-14) and was promoted to Professor in 2014.

• Research Areas:
• Landscape Evolution
• Sediment Transport Mechanics
• Arctic River Dynamics
• Mars Paleohydrology
• Deltaic and Coastal Resilience

His work focuses on understanding Earth and planetary surface processes through erosion, sediment transport, and deposition mechanics, with active projects on Arctic river responses to permafrost thaw, river delta vulnerability to sea-level rise, and Martian fluvial history. Recent publications highlight floodplain sediment dynamics, permafrost-climate interactions, and Martian lacustrine features.

Labs & Collaborations: Michael leads the Caltech Surface Processes Group, integrating field measurements, remote sensing, and modeling to study Earth and planetary landscapes.