David Mohrig
Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences
Peter T. Flawn Centennial Chair in Geology (Holder)
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)
| Year | Semester | Course | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Spring | GEO 391 | Understanding Sea Level |
| 2023 | Spring | GEO 371T | Understanding Sea Level |
| 2023 | Spring | GEO 660A | Field Geology |
| 2023 | Spring | GEO 302J | Crisis Of Our Planet |
| 2022 | Fall | GEO 401 | Physical Geology |
| 2022 | Summer | GEO f660A | Field Geo-Tx/Nm/Wy |
| 2022 | Spring | GEO 302J | Crisis Of Our Planet |
| 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 302J | Crisis Of Our Planet |
| 2020 | Spring | GEO 391 | Pleist-Holo Seds/Sl Records |
| 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 394 | Rsch In Geological Sciences |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 391 | Morphodynam/Quant Stratigraphy |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 291 | Depositional Mechanics |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 371T | Morphodynam/Quant Stratigraphy |
| 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 380G | Constr/Interp 3-D Stratigraphy |
| 2015 | Fall | GEO 360G | Const/Intrprt 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 |