Tesfaye Kidane

Dr. Tesfaye Kidane is a tenured Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Geology at Wayne State University (WSU), College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Previously, he held academic leadership roles at Addis Ababa University (AAU) and the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. His career includes postdoctoral research fellowships in Hawaii, Japan, Germany, and the United States, along with visiting professorships in Japan. He serves on the American Geophysical Union (AGU) publication committee and as an associate editor for Tectonics since 2017.

**Education**:

• Ph.D. in Internal Geophysics, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, France (1999)
• M.Sc. in Structural Geology, Addis Ababa University (1993)
• B.Sc. in Geology, Addis Ababa University (1989)

**Research Interests**: Dr. Kidane’s work focuses on structural geology, tectonics, and paleomagnetism. He uses paleomagnetic and rock-magnetic techniques to study continental rifting (e.g., the Afar Depression and East African Rift), Pangea/Gondwana reconstructions, and sedimentary processes in extreme environments. His recent projects include the Afar Dallol Drilling (ADD-ON) initiative to explore rift basin dynamics and hydrothermal systems.

**Grants & Awards**: Notable awards include the African Fulbright Scholarship (2012–2013), Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2012–2013), and JSPS Fellowship (2005–2008). He has secured over $1.4 million USD in grants for equipment and field research, including projects on geothermal exploration and continental rifting mechanisms.

**Teaching & Mentoring**: Current courses include Structural Geology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, and Geomorphology. While no named advisees are listed, his research collaborations and grant leadership imply extensive mentorship of students and junior researchers.

**Labs & Collaborations**: Involved in international initiatives such as the AGU committees and the ADD-ON drilling project. His work integrates field studies, laboratory analyses, and numerical modeling to address tectonic and environmental questions in Africa’s major rift systems.