Leadership

Dr. Claudia Mora

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Dr. Claudia Mora became dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin on Feb. 1, 2020. Prior to leading the Jackson School, Mora was at Los Alamos National Lab where she served as group leader of the Earth Systems Observations Earth and Environmental Sciences Division.

Veronica Vasquez

Dr. Veronica Vasquez brings over 25 years of experience in higher education, spanning both Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. She joined the Jackson School as the Assistant Dean of Academic and Student Affairs in July 2022. In her role, Dr. Vasquez is dedicated to enhancing student programming and fostering student success, ensuring a supportive and enriching academic environment.

Dr. Michael Young

Michael Young has over 35 years of professional experience, from academic research to Federal (regulatory) to private industry, in the general areas of environmental geosciences, hydrology, and soil sciences/physics. He has significant field, laboratory and numerical modeling experience that, taken together, provides a more comprehensive assessment of the processes affecting our environment. As the Associate Dean of Research he is responsible for fostering an active research culture and promoting the formulation and implementation of major collaborative research initiatives and multi- and interdisciplinary research.

Demian Saffer

Dr. Demian Saffer was appointed director in of the Institute for Geophysics at The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences Jan. 1, 2020. Prior, he was a professor and head of the Department of Geosciences at Penn State University. Saffer’s research centers on the role of fluids in tectonic processes and what this can tell us about earthquakes and tsunamis.

Dr. Danny Stockli

Dr. Danny Stockli is responsible for academic affairs for the Jackson School, including the undergraduate program, student affairs, and admissions. As a researcher, Stockli is focused on the development and application of geo- and thermochronometry to tectonic and geological problems to better quantify the temporal and thermal aspects of tectonic, petrologic, stratigraphic, and geomorphologic processes.

Dr. Mark Shuster

Mark Shuster is the Bureau’s interim director. He joined the Bureau in September, 2016, to manage energy-related research. Prior to joining the Bureau, Mark worked for Shell and affiliates for 30 years in upstream oil and gas roles around the world. Mark began his professional career as a Research Geologist working on projects on the Permian Basin, Atlantic margin basins and southeast Asia. Subsequently, Mark worked on exploration and appraisal projects in Venezuela, Australia, Middle East, Gulf of Mexico and most recently, Alaska. Mark received his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of the Pacific and his PhD in Geology from the University of Wyoming.