David Mohrig

Areas of Expertise

Sedimentary Geology, Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Geomorphology, Rivers, Deltas, Coastlines, Submarine Channels, Geohazards, Sediment-Gravity Currents, Sediment Transport, Seismic Interpretation, Basin Analysis

G. K. Gilbert Award in Surface Processes - American Geophysical Union (2021)

Francis J. Pettijohn Medal for Sedimentology - Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM) (2019)

Union Fellow - American Geophysical Union (2016)

Knebel Distinguished Teaching Award - Dept. of Geol. Sci., UT-Austin (2022)

Knebel Distinguished Teaching Award - Dept. of Geol. Sci., UT-Austin (2015)

Outstanding Educator Award - Jackson School of Geosciences, UT-Austin (2014)

Knebel Distinguished Teaching Award - Dept. of Geol. Sci., UT-Austin (2013)

Knebel Distinguished Teaching Award - Dept. of Geol. Sci., UT-Austin (2011)

Knebel Distinguished Teaching Award - Dept. of Geol. Sci., UT-Austin (2007-2008)

Postdocs

Mauricio Perillo

Richard Wayne Wagner, University of New Orleans

Daniel Sturmer, University of Cincinnati

Graduate Students

William S Bailey , Ph.D., expected 2026 (Co-supervisor)

Mariel D Nelson , Ph.D., expected 2025 (Co-supervisor)
Hi! I'm a geomorphologist and second year PhD student in the Department of Geological Sciences. I'm co-advised by David Mohrig (sedimentology) and Tim Goudge (remote sensing). I study the shape of landscapes and seek process-based descriptions of how they change over time. For my graduate research, I conduct repeat lidar surveys of river banks using uncrewed aerial vehicles to understand when...

Michelle Tebolt , Ph.D., expected 2024 (Committee Member)
As a planetary scientist, I study sedimentary processes on Mars to better understand the paleoenvironment, or the conditions that once existed on the surface. I am particularly interested in Martian fluvial processes that occurred ~3.8 billion years ago when there was liquid water on the surface and consider the question: How has water influenced the surface of Mars? Or more...

Cole M Speed , Ph.D., expected 2023 (Co-supervisor)
I am a Ph.D. student with interests in remote sensing, geospatial data analytics, and Earth/planetary surface processes. My current research focuses on quantifying the evolution of modern fluvial landscapes and their preservation in the ancient rock record using high-resolution topography, time-lapse satellite imagery, numerical models, and field data. Ultimately, I seek to develop methods that enable better prediction of the...

Charlie (Yu-Chen) Zheng , Ph.D., expected 2023 (Committee Member)

Catherine Ross , Ph.D., expected 2022 (Committee Member)
I study punctuated events in Earth's history using field observations, geo/thermochronology, microstructural analysis, and geochemistry. I am broadly interested in how deformation and sedimentation on the seconds to days timescales are expressed in the rock record. My first project involves [bold]dating the Chicxulub target rock[/bold], which is important to advancing the understanding of ejecta and environmental processes. The Yucatàn basement...

Nicole Gonzalez , M.S., expected 2022 (Supervisor)
Hello! I study reservoir-scale shallow marine stratigraphy under the mentorship of Dr. David Mohrig. I'm interested in understanding how sediment gravity flows help construct delta front and prodelta-shelf environments. Particularly, my master's work involves developing a depositional model for marine storm beds within the Coaledo Formation in southwestern Oregon to include gravity-driven processes. Outside of my research, I enjoy engaging...

Paul Morris , Ph.D., expected 2021 (Supervisor)
Advised by Professor David Mohrig, Dr Jake Covault and Dr Zoltan Sylvester. Working with the Quantitative Clastics Lab. Using forward stratigraphic models coded in python to understand and quantify the evolution of (deep-water) channel-belt stratigraphy. Linking the movement and morphology of channels to their resultant deposits - exploring resulting issues around reservoir connectivity (flow behavior) for Oil/Gas extraction. Quantitative PhD with coding...

Cullen D Kortyna , Ph.D., expected 2021 (Committee Member)
I am broadly interested in the controls on and dynamics of sediment routing systems. I investigate this at both the sedimentary basin scale, where I apply detrital geo-thermochronometry and other sedimentary provenance techniques, and at the outcrop scale, where I apply sedimentological and stratigraphic techniques, to evaluate sedimentary system response to tectono-climatic perturbations. Project 1: Tectonic Controls on Laramide-Mexican Sediment Routing...

Kat Wilson (Supervisor)
coastal geomorphology

Yuqian(Philomena) Gan (Committee Member)
I have broad interests in sedimentology and stratigraphy with focus on: Slope channel architecture and evolution Sediment density flow processes and deposits Sequence stratigraphy of medium depth (200-500m) back-arc and foreland systems

Sarp Karakaya (Committee Member)
"Some people see just another international student; what I see is someone brave enough to leave everything and everyone they know behind. Someone adventurous enough to pack their lives into a handful of suitcases and go on a plane with a one-way ticket. Someone confident enough to travel across the globe to go to a place they may have never...

Hima Hassenruck Gudipati, Ph.D., 2021 (Supervisor)
Department of Geosciences

Harry Hull, M.S., 2021 (Committee Member)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Benjamin Cardenas, Ph.D., 2019 (Supervisor)

Max Daniller-Varghese, Ph.D., 2019 (Co-supervisor)

Woong Mo Koo, Ph.D., 2018 (Supervisor)

Andrea Nolting, Ph.D., 2017 (Committee Member)

Anthony McGlown, M.S., 2015 (Supervisor)

Kelsi Ustipak, M.S., 2015 (Supervisor)

Jason Sanford, M.S., 2015 (Co-supervisor)

John Shaw, Ph.D., 2013 (Supervisor)

Katherine Delbecq, M.S., 2013 (Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Yao You, Ph.D., 2013 (Co-supervisor)

Year	Semester	Course
2021	Fall	GEO 380R	Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2021	Fall	GEO 401	Physical Geology
2021	Spring	GEO 302J	Crisis Of Our Planet
2020	Fall	GEO 380G	Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2020	Fall	GEO 360G	Const/Intrprt 3-D Stratigraphy
2020	Spring	GEO 391	Pleist-Holo Seds/Sl Records
2020	Spring	GEO 302J	Crisis Of Our Planet
2019	Fall	GEO 416M	Sedimentary Rocks
2019	Summer	GEO f660A	Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Co/Wy/Mt/Id/Ut
2019	Spring	GEO 302J	Crisis Of Our Planet
2018	Fall	GEO 380R	Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2018	Summer	GEO f660A	Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Co/Wy/Mt/Id/Ut
2018	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2018	Spring	GEO 391	Sediment Grav-Flow Dep Sys
2018	Spring	GEO 391	Carbonate Margin Profiles
2018	Spring	GEO 371T	Sediment Grav-Flow Dep Sys
2018	Spring	GEO 420K	Intro To Field/Strat Meths
2018	Spring	GEO 302P	Sustaining A Planet
2017	Fall	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2017	Fall	GEO 380G	Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2017	Fall	GEO 360G	Const/Intrprt 3-D Stratigraphy
2017	Spring	GEO 371T	Morphodynam/Quant Stratigraphy
2017	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2017	Spring	GEO 391	Morphodynam/Quant Stratigraphy
2017	Spring	GEO 291	Depositional Mechanics
2017	Spring	GEO 271T	Depositional Mechanics
2016	Fall	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2016	Fall	GEO 380R	Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2016	Fall	GEO 380G	Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2016	Fall	GEO 360G	Const/Intrprt 3-D Stratigraphy
2016	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Clastic Sedimentation
2016	Spring	GEO 291	Mars Sedimentology
2015	Fall	GEO 360G	Const/Intrprt 3-D Stratigraphy
2015	Fall	GEO 380G	Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2015	Fall	GEO 380R	Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2015	Fall	GEO 391	Sedimntry Source-To-Sink Dynmc
2015	Fall	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2015	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Clastic Sedimentation
2015	Spring	GEO 316P	Sedimentary Rocks
2014	Fall	GEO 394	Rsch In Clastic Sedimentation
2014	Fall	GEO 380R	Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2014	Fall	GEO 380G	Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2014	Fall	GEO 371C	Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2014	Summer	GEO f660A	Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Co/Wy/Mt/Id/Ut
2014	Spring	GEO 371C	Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2014	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Clastic Sedimentation
2014	Spring	GEO 391	Sedim Gravity Flow Deposit Sys
2014	Spring	GEO 391	Fld Strat: Southwest Oregon
2014	Spring	GEO 380G	Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2014	Spring	GEO 371C	Sedim Gravity Flow Deposit Sys

Going with the flow

Mohrig Research Group