David Mohrig

David  Mohrig
Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences

Peter T. Flawn Centennial Chair in Geology (Holder)

Email: mohrig@jsg.utexas.edu
Work: +1 512 471 2282
Office: EPS 3.166
Mailcode: C9000

Dr. Mohrig's research group focuses on the application of sedimentary deposits and transport processes to unraveling the evolutions of terrestrial and submarine landscapes. They study the behavior of topography generated at the interface between a granular material and a moving fluid from very short to very long time and space scales, with particular emphasis on processes controlling channel formation, both on land and in the deep ocean. Research methods used by his group include carefully designed laboratory and natural experiments on sediment-transporting flows, field studies of modern and ancient sediment-dispersal systems, theoretical modeling of evolving granular-bed topography, and the remote sensing of subsurface sedimentary deposits using seismic data.

The UT Morphodynamics Lab is dedicated to building a positive and inclusive work environment. We are committed to building and maintaining a supportive environment that embraces diversity and inclusion.

For additional information please visit: www.jsg.utexas.edu/mohrig/

Dr. Mohrig would like to acknowledge IHS Markit [ https://ihsmarkit.com/ ] and their Educational Grant Program for IHS Markit Engineering and Geoscience Software used in GEO371C and GEO380G, Construction and Interpretations of 3D Stratigraphy.

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)

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...

Kathleen Wilson, Ph.D., 2022 (Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Yuquian (Philomena) Gan, Ph.D., 2022 (Committee Member)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Catherine Ross, Ph.D., 2022 (Committee Member)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Paul Morris, Ph.D., 2022 (Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Nicole Gonzalez, M.S., 2022 (Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Cullen Kortyna, Ph.D., 2022 (Committee Member)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Xinggang Liu, Ph.D., 2022 (Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

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)


YearSemesterCourse
2023Spring GEO 391 Understanding Sea Level
2023Spring GEO 371T Understanding Sea Level
2023Spring GEO 660A Field Geology
2023Spring GEO 302J Crisis Of Our Planet
2022Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2022Summer GEO f660A Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Wy
2022Spring GEO 302J Crisis Of Our Planet
2021Fall GEO 380R Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2021Fall GEO 401 Physical Geology
2021Spring GEO 302J Crisis Of Our Planet
2020Fall GEO 380G Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2020Fall GEO 360G Const/Intrprt 3-D Stratigraphy
2020Spring GEO 302J Crisis Of Our Planet
2020Spring GEO 391 Pleist-Holo Seds/Sl Records
2019Fall GEO 416M Sedimentary Rocks
2019Summer GEO f660A Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Co/Wy/Mt/Id/Ut
2019Spring GEO 302J Crisis Of Our Planet
2018Fall GEO 380R Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2018Summer GEO f660A Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Co/Wy/Mt/Id/Ut
2018Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2018Spring GEO 391 Sediment Grav-Flow Dep Sys
2018Spring GEO 391 Carbonate Margin Profiles
2018Spring GEO 371T Sediment Grav-Flow Dep Sys
2018Spring GEO 420K Intro To Field/Strat Meths
2018Spring GEO 302P Sustaining A Planet
2017Fall GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2017Fall GEO 380G Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2017Fall GEO 360G Const/Intrprt 3-D Stratigraphy
2017Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2017Spring GEO 391 Morphodynam/Quant Stratigraphy
2017Spring GEO 291 Depositional Mechanics
2017Spring GEO 371T Morphodynam/Quant Stratigraphy
2017Spring GEO 271T Depositional Mechanics
2016Fall GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2016Fall GEO 380R Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2016Fall GEO 380G Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2016Fall GEO 360G Const/Intrprt 3-D Stratigraphy
2016Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Clastic Sedimentation
2016Spring GEO 291 Mars Sedimentology
2015Fall GEO 380G Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2015Fall GEO 360G Const/Intrprt 3-D Stratigraphy
2015Fall GEO 380R Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2015Fall GEO 391 Sedimntry Source-To-Sink Dynmc
2015Fall GEO 394 Rsch In Geological Sciences
2015Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Clastic Sedimentation
2015Spring GEO 316P Sedimentary Rocks
2014Fall GEO 394 Rsch In Clastic Sedimentation
2014Fall GEO 380R Dynamics Of Sedimentary Sys I
2014Fall GEO 380G Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2014Fall GEO 371C Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2014Summer GEO f660A Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Co/Wy/Mt/Id/Ut
2014Spring GEO 371C Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2014Spring GEO 394 Rsch In Clastic Sedimentation
2014Spring GEO 391 Sedim Gravity Flow Deposit Sys
2014Spring GEO 391 Fld Strat: Southwest Oregon
2014Spring GEO 380G Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy
2014Spring GEO 371C Sedim Gravity Flow Deposit Sys