Richard Katz

Richard Katz is a Professor of Geodynamics at the University of Oxford's St Anne's College. His research focuses on understanding the physics of liquid–solid systems in terrestrial and planetary settings, emphasizing quantitative predictions through applied mathematics, numerical simulations, and scaling analysis. Key research areas include granular media mechanics, tidal dynamics in planetary bodies, mud volcano formation, ice shelf fracture, and magma dynamics. He leads a collaborative research group integrating observational and experimental data with theoretical models.

His teaching includes advanced courses on vector calculus, continuum mechanics, and mantle convection for Earth Sciences undergraduates. He has also contributed to educational initiatives at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, focusing on fluid dynamics.

Recent work explores topics such as tidal heating in icy moons, melt transport in lithospheric systems, and dislocation dynamics in olivine. His textbook The Dynamics of Partially Molten Rock (Princeton University Press, 2022) synthesizes magmatic theory across Earth and planetary sciences.