Clark R Wilson
Research Professor, Center for Space Research, Cockrell School of Engineering
Dave P. Carlton Centennial Professorship in Geophysics (Emeritus)
Mailcode: C9000
A native of California, Clark R. Wilson received his BA degree in physics, from the University of California at San Diego, and MS and PhD degrees in Earth Sciences from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California. He joined the UT Austin faculty in the Fall of 1976 as an assistant professor, was promoted to full professor in 1989, and was designated the Wallace Pratt Professor of Geophysics in 1992. Prior to his appointment at UT he held summer employment with Shell Oil Company, and while a student at Scripps spent over 6 months at sea as a participant in marine geophysical expeditions. During the period 1996-1999 he was invited to serve at NASA Headquarters, Washington DC as Program Scientist for Geodynamics and Geopotential Fields, via an intergovernmental personnel assignment. During that period he oversaw research planning and funding, and was liaison officer for several international space missions, including Oersted (with Denmark) and SAC-C (with Argentina). While at UT Austin, Wilson has served twice as Geological Sciences Department Chairman (1990-94 and 2004-2007). He has served on the Board of Directors of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Frame Service, and on the Board of UNAVCO, Inc. as Corporate Treasurer. Wilson's research and publications in geophysics include reflection seismology, seismology applied to earthquake engineering, and numerous studies in the field of geodesy, including causes of earth rotation variations, and the use of space geodetic measurements (of Earth's gravity and rotational variations) as measures of global climate change. He is currently a member of the NASA Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) science team investigating applications of time variable gravity to hydrologic and other problems. He retired from teaching in 2020, and as professor emeritus, continues NASA supported research in space geodesy at the UT Austin Center for Space Research. His field studies with support from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, focus on the use of a superconducting gravimeter for monitoring subsurface fluids at the McDonald Geodetic Observatory (located at the UT McDonald Observatory, Ft. Davis Texas)
Areas of Expertise
Geophysics, including gravity, space geodesy, and applied seismology
Research Locations
Carlton Centeniall Professor in Geophysics - Department of Geological Sciences (2014)
Fellow - International Association of Geodesy (1995)
National Honor Society - Phi Kappa Phi (1994)
Houston Oil and Minerals Excellence Award - Department of Geological Sciences (1994)
Wallace E. Pratt Professor of Geophysics - University of Texas at Austin (1992 - 2014)
Editor's Citation as an Outstanding Referee - Journal of Geophysical Research (1989)
Jackson and Shell Centennial Teaching Fellows - University of Texas at Austin (1984 - 1992)
Young Faculty Award - ARCO Oil Company (1981)
Chairman, Editor Search Committee for Reviews of Geophysics, American Geophysical Union (2004)
Member, Geodynamics Commission Executive Committee , International Association of Geodesy (2003 - 2007)
Chairman, Scientific Organizing Committee 7th International Congress of Earth Sciences Santiago Chile, International Association of Geodesy (2002)
Member, Technical Program Committee 71st Annual Meeting, Society of Exploration Geophysicists (2001)
Co-convenor, IAG Assembly, Budapest, International Association of Geodesy (2001)
Member, Directing Board, International Earth Rotation Service (2000)
Member, Whitten Medal Committee , American Geophysical Union (2000 - 2004)
President, Geodynamics Section, International Association of Geodesy (1999 - 2003)
Head, Hydrology Bureau Geophysical Fluids Center, International Earth Rotation Service (1999 - 2004)
Member, Commission 19 (Earth Rotation), International Astronomical Union (1997 - 2000)
Co-Convenor, Argentine-US Space Conference, Buenos Aires, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (1997)
Coordinator, IERS New Directions workshop, International Earth Rotation Service (1996)
Member, Macelwane Medal Committee, American Geophysical Union (1996 - 1998)
Member, Editor Search Committee for Geophysical Research Letters, American Geophysical Union (1996 - 1997)
Secretary, Geodynamics Section, International Association of Geodesy (1995 - 1999)
Chairman, Special Study Group 5.173 Interaction of the Atmosphere and Oceans with Earth's Rotational Dynamics, International Association of Geodesy (1995 - 1999)
Fellow, International Association of Geodesy (1995)
Member, Geodesy Section Nominating Committee, American Geophysical Union (1995)
Member, Public Affairs Committee, American Geophysical Union (1994 - 1996)
Associate Editor, Journal of Geophysical Research (Geodesy), American Geophysical Union (1993 - 1999)
Member, IAG Working Group on Global Change, International Association of Geodesy (1992 - 1994)
Member, Committee on Earth Studies, National Research Council (1992 - 1995)
Representative, SEG Council District III, Society of Exploration Geophysicists (1991 - 1993)
Member, Special Study Group 5.143 - Rapid Earth Rotation Variations, International Association of Geodesy (1991 - 1995)
Corresponding Member, International Earth Rotation Service (1991 - 1996)
Member, Special Study Group 5-98 Atmospheric Excitation of Earth Rotation, International Association of Geodesy (1987 - 1991)
Judge, Austin Area Science and Mathematics Fair, Austin Geological Society (1984)
President, Austin Geological Society (1982 - 1983)
Vice President, Austin Geological Society (1981 - 1982)
Judge, International Science Fair, Society of Exploration Geophysicists (1979)
Graduate Students
Christopher S Linick
(Co-supervisor)
I am a geophysicist with roots in geodesy. I study inverse problems at the intersection of hydrology and geodesy; for instance, currently I am working to quantify snowpack across the Sierra Nevada of California from dense GPS observations of crustal deformation and other data types. I also work with gravimeters, and operate a superconducting gravimeter in West Texas.
Chad Greene, Ph.D., 2017
(Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences
Hongqiu Wu, M.S., 2011
(Supervisor)
A transportable superconducting gravimeter for hydrologic studies.
Nedra Bonal, Ph.D., 2007
(Supervisor)
Dissertation topic: Field Studies of Fractured Rock using Seismic and Radar Observations
Ki-weon Seo, Ph.D., 2005
(Supervisor)
Dissertation topic: GRACE satellite gravity and hydrology
Erick Leuro, M.S., 2004
(Supervisor)
Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometric Studies of Subsidence near El Paso Texas.
Krishnavikas Guidipati, M.S., 2003
(Supervisor)
Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometric Studies of Subsidence in Arizona
| Year | Semester | Course | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Fall | GEO 383D | Num Meth I: Cmp Mth Geo Sci-Wb |
| 2020 | Fall | GEO 325K | Computational Methods-Wb |
| 2019 | Fall | GEO 383D | Num Meth I: Comp Meth Geol Sci |
| 2019 | Fall | GEO 325K | Computational Methods |
| 2018 | Fall | GEO 383D | Num Meth I: Comp Meth Geol Sci |
| 2018 | Fall | GEO 325K | Computational Methods |
| 2018 | Spring | GEO 325G | Comp Appls In Geo |
| 2018 | Spring | GEO 365P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2018 | Spring | GEO 383P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2017 | Fall | GEO 383D | Num Meth I: Comp Meth Geol Sci |
| 2017 | Fall | GEO 325K | Computational Methods |
| 2017 | Summer | GEO f661B | Geophysics Field Camp |
| 2017 | Summer | GEO f661A | Geophysics Field Camp |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 394 | Rsch In Geological Sciences |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 383P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 365P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 325G | Comp Appls In Geo |
| 2016 | Fall | GEO 394 | Rsch In Geological Sciences |
| 2016 | Fall | GEO 383D | Num Meth I: Comp Meth Geol Sci |
| 2016 | Fall | GEO 325K | Computational Methods |
| 2016 | Summer | GEO f661B | Geophysics Field Camp |
| 2016 | Spring | GEO 383P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2016 | Spring | GEO 371T | Computational App In Geosci |
| 2016 | Spring | GEO 365P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2015 | Fall | GEO 383D | Num Meth I: Comp Meth Geol Sci |
| 2015 | Fall | GEO 325K | Computational Methods |
| 2015 | Summer | GEO f661B | Geophysics Field Camp |
| 2015 | Summer | GEO f661A | Geophysics Field Camp |
| 2015 | Spring | GEO 383P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2015 | Spring | GEO 365P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2014 | Fall | GEO 383D | Num Meth I: Comp Meth Geol Sci |
| 2014 | Fall | GEO 325K | Computational Methods |
| 2014 | Summer | GEO f661A | Geophysics Field Camp |
| 2014 | Spring | GEO 365P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |
| 2014 | Spring | GEO 394 | Rsch In Solid Earth Geophysics |
| 2014 | Spring | GEO 383P | Potential Fld Appl In Geophys |