Sean S Gulick

Areas of Expertise

– Marine and planetary geophysical imaging at nested resolutions and ground truth through drilling, coring, logging, and sampling.
– Tectonic processes, tectonic-climate interactions, and geohazards of convergent margins and transitional tectonic environments.
– Role of catastrophism in the geologic record including impact cratering, hurricanes, and tectonic events.
– Planetary habitability, impact generated ecosystems, biotic crises.

Research Locations

Current Research Programs & Projects

Tectonic and climate interactions in the Surveyor submarine fan ( view )

Geohazards and margin evolution of subduction and transform faulting in New Zealand, Alaska, Sumatra, and Japan

International Ocean Discovery and Continental Drilling Programs Expedition 364: Drilling the K-Pg Chicxulub impact crater ( view )

Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management Texas Coop for Sand Resources

Trinity River Paleochannel Project (TRIPP)

SISIE: South Island, New Zealand, Subduction Initiation Experiment

High-resolution Imaging of the Ries Impact Crater

Assessing the habitability of post-impact hydrothermal systems using the Chicxulub crater as a natural laboratory

Select Past Research

St. Elias Mountains tectonic and climate interactions

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 341: Southeast Alaska tectonics and climate

Icy Bay Geohazards and Taan Fiord Landslide Joint NSF/USGS Project

Totten Glacier Ice-Ocean-Sediment Interactions Study, East Antarctica

Fellow of the Geological Society of America - Geological Society of America (2018)

Eugene Shoemaker Memorial Award - Arizona State University (2017)

Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Fellow - Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg, Delmenhorst, GER (2016)

Jackson School Outstanding Researcher Award - University of Texas at Austin (2015)

Signature Course Essential Elements Award for Excellence in Teaching Oral Communication - University of Texas at Austin (2015)

Directors Circle of Excellence - UTIG (2010 - 2017)

Joint Oceanographic Institutions Distinguished Lectureship - JOI/USSAC (2007 - 2008)

Jackson School of Geosciences Research Achievement Award - University of Texas at Austin (2007 - 2009)

Consortium of Ocean Leadership Distinguished Lecturer - COL (2007 - 2008)

Jackson School of Geosciences Research Fellowship - University of Texas at Austin (2006 - 2007)

Young Scientist Fellowship - Jackson School of Geosciences (2005 - 2006)

Committee Member, Marine Seismology Symposium, Steering Committee, (2021)

Associate Chair, Department of Geological Sciences: Lithosphere & Deep Earth, (2021 - Present)

Chair, Department of Geological Sciences, Internal Search Committee, (2020)

Committee Member, Department of Geological Sciences: Structure and Tectonics Faculty Search Committee, (2020)

Committee Member, University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, Executive Committee, (2020 - 2021)

Board Member, Joides Resolution Facility Board Working Group on Science Framework Proposal Requirements and Assessments, (2020 - Present)

Committee Member, Jackson School of Geosciences, Dean Search Committee, (2019)

Co-convener, IODP Expedition 364 Second Post-cruise Meeting, Merida, México (2018)

Steering Committee, UT Pop-Up Institute on Planetary Habitability (2018)

Co-chair, UTIG DirectorÂ’s Search Committee, (2018 - 2019)

Committee Member, IODP Renewal Committee- SOD23+, (2018 - 2020)

Ex-officio IODP Representative, Marine Seismic Research Oversight Committee, (2017 - 2019)

Steering Committee, Antarctica Drilling Workshop, College Station, Texas (2016)

Steering Committee, Subduction Zone Observatory Workshop, Boise, Idaho (2016)

Committee member, Marcus Langseth Science Oversight Committee, (2016 - 2017)

Co-chair, IODP Science Evaluation Panel, (2016 - 2020)

Committee member, Jackson School of Geosciences Strategic Planning Committee, (2015 - 2019)

Panel Member, IODP Science Evaluation Panel, (2014 - 2016)

Co-chair, IRIS Scientific Grand Challenges Committee, (2014 - 2016)

Chair, Jackson School of Geosciences, Marine Geosciences Theme, (2011 - 2020)

Keynote Speaker, International Core-Log-Seismic Integration Workshop (2005)

Panel Member, IODP Measurements and Science Technology Panel, (2003 - 2005)

Co-convenor, Joint NSF-JOI Tectonic-Climate Interplay Workshop (2003)

Panel Member, IODP Interim Scientific Measurements Panel (iSciMP), (2002 - 2003)

Committee Member, University of Delaware Research Vessel Advisory Committee, (2001 - 2002)

Member, American Geophysical Union ( - Present)

Member, Geological Society of America ( - Present)

Member, Union of Concerned Scientists ( - Present)

Graduate Students

Jonathan P Amendola , M.S., expected 2025 (Supervisor)
I am interested in glaciomarine environments with particular focus on geomorphology and sediment depositional processes.

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...

Soraya Alfred , M.S., expected 2024 (Supervisor)

Medha Prakash (Supervisor)
My research interests are primarily in astrobiology and planetary surface processes. I am working Sean Gulick and Cyril Grima to better understand the geology of Schrödinger crater on the Moon using radar data. This site is of interest to upcoming Artemis missions. My previous research includes literature syntheses pertaining to mineral mediated carbon reduction's importance for the paleoclimates on Mars...

Ema Parker (Co-supervisor)
My research focuses on employing active marine electromagnetic (EM) methods to study lithosphere-biosphere dynamics and, by extension, potential implications those mechanisms may have for the New Blue Economy. I also have a key interest in expanding the Jackson School's marine EM capabilities.

Catherine Ross, Ph.D., 2022 (Co-supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Naoma McCall, Ph.D., 2022 (Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Russell Miller, M.S., 2022 (Co-supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Marina Frederik, Ph.D., 2016 (Supervisor)

Marueen Walton, Ph.D., 2016 (Supervisor)

Sebastian Ramirez, Ph.D., 2016 (Supervisor)

Jonathan Osmond, M.S., 2016 (Committee Member)

Aleksandr Montelli, M.S., 2015 (Supervisor)

Robert Reece, Ph.D., 2012 (Supervisor)

Kylara Martin, 2012 (Supervisor)

Jason Sanford (Co-supervisor)

Year	Semester	Course
2024	Spring	GEO 397F	Marine Geo & Geophys Field Crs
2024	Spring	GEO 382T	Continental Tectonics
2024	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2024	Spring	GEO 348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Field Crs
2024	Spring	GEO 339T	Continental Tectonics
2024	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2023	Fall	GEO 416E	Solid Earth Processes
2023	Spring	GEO 397F	Marine Geo & Geophys Field Crs
2023	Spring	GEO 382T	Continental Tectonics
2023	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2023	Spring	GEO 348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Field Crs
2023	Spring	GEO 339T	Continental Tectonics
2023	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2022	Fall	GEO 366P	Planetary Geo/Geophysics
2022	Fall	GEO 398P	Planetary Geo/Geophysics
2022	Summer	GEO f397F	Marine Geo & Geophys Field Crs
2022	Summer	GEO f348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2022	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2022	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2021	Summer	GEO f397F	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2021	Summer	GEO f348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2021	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics-Wb
2021	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics-Wb
2020	Fall	GEO 391	Planetary Geology / Geophysics
2020	Fall	GEO 366P	Planetary Geo/Geophysics-Wb
2020	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2020	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2019	Summer	GEO f397F	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2019	Summer	GEO f348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2019	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2019	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2018	Summer	GEO f397F	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2018	Summer	GEO f348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2018	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2018	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2018	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2017	Fall	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2017	Summer	GEO f397F	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2017	Summer	GEO f348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Fld Crs-Tx
2017	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2017	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2017	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2016	Fall	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2016	Summer	GEO f348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Field Crs
2016	Summer	GEO f397F	Marine Geo & Geophys Field Crs
2016	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Marine Geo And Geophys
2016	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2016	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2015	Fall	GEO 394	Rsch In Geological Sciences
2015	Summer	GEO f397F	Marine Geo & Geophys Field Crs
2015	Summer	GEO f348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Field Crs
2015	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Marine Geo And Geophys
2015	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics
2015	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2014	Fall	GEO 394	Rsch In Marine Geo And Geophys
2014	Summer	GEO f397F	Marine Geo & Geophys Field Crs
2014	Summer	GEO f348K	Marine Geo/Geophys Field Crs
2014	Spring	GEO 338T	Marine Tectonics
2014	Spring	GEO 394	Rsch In Marine Geo And Geophys
2014	Spring	GEO 381T	Marine Tectonics

Graduate Positions

Research in Marine Geology and Geophysics
There are opportunities for research within Marine Geology and Geophysics.

UTIG webpage

Center for Planetary Systems Habitability