Phillip Gans

Phillip Gans is a Professor in the Department of Earth Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research focuses on structural geology, tectonics, and volcanology, with an emphasis on deformational processes in continental lithosphere and extensional tectonics. He holds a B.S. in Engineering and Geology from Cornell University (1978), an M.S. in Economic Geology from Stanford University (1982), and a Ph.D. in Geology from Stanford (1987).

His work integrates field-based studies with radiometric dating, geochemical analyses, and numerical modeling. Notable projects include investigations into the Cenozoic evolution of the Basin and Range province, gneiss domes in Arctic Alaska and northeast Russia, and the structural evolution of the Tibetan plateau. Recent studies expand into the Mexican Basin and Range province and gneiss domes in Tibet.

His publications span tectonic evolution, metamorphic core complexes, and volcanic systems, with recent articles addressing topics such as Gold Butte normal fault block tectonics (2025) and magmatic belts in southern California (2024). He advises current graduate student Ryan Eden and has mentored past student Evan Monroe. His research is supported through grants and collaborations involving fieldwork, geochronology, and structural analysis.