W. Steven Holbrook

W. Steven Holbrook is a Professor and Head of the Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on critical zone geophysics, using seismic and geophysical techniques to study Earth's 'breathing skin' where water, life, and rock interact. He leads interdisciplinary projects across seven Critical Zone Observatory sites, combining seismology, geomorphology, and geochemistry to address subsurface structure and water dynamics.

Education: Ph.D. (Geophysics, Stanford University, 1989), M.S. (Geophysics, Stanford, 1985), B.S. (Geoscience, Penn State, 1982). Professional experience includes roles at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and University of Wyoming.

Awards include the Walter Munk Award (2013), AGU Fellow (2012), and multiple teaching/research honors. He mentors ~30 students (12 Ph.D., 16 M.S., 2 undergraduates) in 'Team Holbrook,' with current advisees Kira Dickey (M.S.) and postdoc Sylvain Pasquet. Research includes airborne EM surveys in Yellowstone and inversion of surface-wave data for critical zone structure.

Teaching specialties: oceanography, reflection seismology, and introductory geophysics. Active in grants and collaborations, including NSF-GeoPRISMS and CZNet (Critical Zone Collaborative Network).