Events

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
    
Legend
 JSG  BEG  UTIG  EPS 

UTIG Seminar Series: Xian Wu, UT Dallas

November, 21 2025

Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: PRC 196/ROC 1.603

Speaker: Xian Wu, Assistant Professor, Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas

Host: Yuko Okumura

Title: Tropical Pacific decadal prediction: the role of volcanic forcing and ocean initialization

Abstract: Decadal climate predictions for the next 1 to 10 years provide critical information for climate adaptation and resilience planning, bridging the gap between well-established seasonal forecasts and centennial projections. As an initial condition–boundary condition problem, decadal predictions rely on both oceanic initial states and external radiative forcings. However, decadal prediction skill remains very low in the tropical Pacific, where ocean-atmosphere processes act as powerful drivers of global climate variations. Here, I will address whether this low prediction skill in the tropical Pacific arises from forecast system deficiencies or intrinsic limits of climate predictability. I will show that the tropical Pacific decadal prediction skill is unexpectedly degraded by the inclusion of historical volcanic aerosol forcing in the prediction system, due to poor model fidelity in simulating volcanic responses. In contrast, the no-volcano prediction system exhibits high skill, arising from the initial-condition memory associated with oceanic Rossby wave adjustment in the tropical Pacific. Furthermore, I will demonstrate the influence of other ocean basins on tropical Pacific decadal prediction through regional ocean initialization experiments. These findings improve our understanding of prediction system behavior in the tropical Pacific, which is crucial for advancing Earth system predictions.

Bureau of Economic Geology Seminar Series

November, 21 2025

Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Sediment-hosted metal deposits in rift basins, geodynamic modeling

presented on Zoom by

Dr. Anne Glerum
GFZ, Helmgoltz Centre for Geosciences
Germany

Fall break / Thanksgiving

November, 24 2025

Time: 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM

DeFord Lecture | Thomas Harter

December, 04 2025

Time: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Location: Boyd Auditorium (JGB 2.324)

UTIG Seminar Series: James Thompson, BEG

December, 05 2025

Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: PRC 196/ROC 1.603

Speaker: James Thompson, Research Assistant Professor, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin

Host: Danielle Touma

Research Theme: Climate & MGGST; Remote sensing and geospatial techniques to understand thermodynamics of terrestrial processes and consequent impacts

Bureau of Economic Geology Seminar Series

December, 05 2025

Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: BEG VR Room 1.116C

Microstructural analysis of sedimentary and volcanic rocks

presented In Person by

Dr. Robert Reed
Research Scientist Associate V, BEG

 

UTIG Seminar Series: Student AGU Practice Talks

December, 12 2025

Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: PRC 196/ROC 1.603

Each year, the week before AGU’s Fall Meeting, we invite UTIG student researchers to practice their AGU talks. Each presenter will be given 11 minutes, as per AGU’s oral presentation for 2024, followed by a few minutes for Q&A and feedback.

The details of this year’s speakers are currently underway. Come back to this page for new updates.

Bureau of Economic Geology Seminar Series

December, 12 2025

Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: BEG VR Room 1.116C

Environmental and aqueous geochemistry; Critical mineral

presented In Person by

Dr. Daniel Alessi
Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Jackson School of Geosciences
Getty Oil Company Centennial Chair in Geological Sciences (Holder)