William Guenthner

William Guenthner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth Science & Environmental Change at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He holds an adjunct appointment in the School of Earth, Society & Environment. His research focuses on low-temperature thermochronology and tectonics, using (U-Th)/He systems to reconstruct crustal thermal histories. He leads a state-of-the-art noble gas laboratory equipped with laser microfurnaces and mass spectrometers, and co-manages clean labs for mineral dissolution and laser ablation studies.

Education

• Ph.D. in Geosciences, University of Arizona (2013)
• M.S. in Geosciences, University of Arizona (2009)
• B.A. in Geology, Carleton College (2007)

Research Interests

His work integrates field data with laboratory analyses to investigate mountain building, craton stability, and radiation damage effects in zircon thermochronology. Key projects include:

• Thermal evolution of the Grand Canyon Great Unconformity
• Denudation histories of Antarctic mountain ranges
• Gold mineralization in Nevada's Battle Mountain district
• Glacial loess provenance studies in midcontinental North America

Awards & Recognition

• 2023 Helen Corley Petit Scholar (UIUC)
• 2020 Charles and Nancy Naesar Prize (International Thermochronology Committee)
• 2019 NSF CAREER Award

Teaching & Outreach

Teaches courses in Physical Geology, Structural Geology, and Geochronology. Actively collaborates with researchers worldwide through lab visits and data sharing. Runs an open-access thermochronology training program for early-career scientists.

Laboratory Facilities

• (U-Th)/He lab with diode laser microfurnace and QMS
• Class 1000 clean lab for mineral dissolution
• Shared excimer laser ablation system and ICP-MS