Susan L. Brantley

Susan L. Brantley is the Atherton Professor and Evan Pugh University Professor Emerita of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University, affiliated with the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Her research focuses on chemical, biological, and physical processes in the critical zone, particularly mineral weathering, microbial interactions, and environmental impacts of shale gas extraction. She leads the Water-Rock Interaction Laboratory and co-directs the Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory.

Brantley holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University and has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Wollaston Medal and membership in the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering. Her work integrates field, laboratory, and modeling approaches to understand weathering rates, subsurface dynamics, and anthropogenic influences on water quality.

Her research spans interdisciplinary topics such as carbon sequestration, methane migration from oil/gas wells, and geochemical modeling. She advises students in Geosciences and Biogeochemistry and collaborates on initiatives like the Shale Network and Critical Zone Observatories.

• Key Projects: Shale Hills CZO, Water-Rock Lab, Environmental Kinetics Analysis
• Grants: Focus on critical zone science, shale gas impacts, and geochemical modeling
• Labs: Penn State’s Energy and Environmental Sustainability Labs