Elizabeth Jacqueline Catlos joined the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin as an Associate Professor in 2008. Before her appointment at UT, she was on the faculty at Oklahoma State University from 2001 to 2008. She is an Affiliate Faculty for UT Austin's Center for Planetary Systems Habitability (since 2020) and Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies (since 2019). Catlos was a UT Austin Harrington Fellow from 2007-2008 and spent the 2008-2009 academic year as a Fulbright Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geological Engineering at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey. In the summer of 2015, she was a Visiting Researcher at UCLA, and in Fall 2017, she served as a Max Kade Distinguished Visiting Professor at Heidelberg University, Germany. She routinely teaches an online class in introductory geology for Soochow University International Programs, Taiwan, during the summer and winter breaks.
Catlos research interests include developing and applying geochemical and geochronological techniques to study lithosphere dynamics and metamorphic processes. She specializes in accessory mineral geochronology, isotopic microanalysis, and advancing understanding of mineral equilibria to estimate environmental conditions during dynamic recrystallization. Her work integrates geochemical and geochronological data to model heat, mass, and fluid flow along major fault systems. She has extensively published on fault systems in the Himalayas, Slovakia, and Turkey.She explores applications of AI and GIS-based spatial analysis to refine structural interpretations and better understand tectonic and geohazard processes. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundations International and Tectonics Divisions.
Catlos has received numerous awards for her research, teaching, and service, including the Geological Society of Americas Young Scientist Award (Donath Medal), the Carolyn G. and G. Moses Knebel Teaching Award for Introductory Courses (2015, 2023), and the Texas Exes Teaching Award. She has also been recognized as an Outstanding Reviewer for Earth and Planetary Science Letters and the Geological Society of America Bulletin. She is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America.
From 2013 to 2017, Catlos served on the governing council of the Geological Society of America, contributing to policy development in areas such as publications, diversity, and public policy. She was Program Chair for the South Central Section Meeting in Austin in 2013 and organized the European Union-IN-TIME RISE Workshop on Geochronology and Mars Exploration in 2019.
In addition to her service to the GSA, Catlos has served as an ad hoc reviewer for numerous journals, textbooks, and funding agencies. She is on the Editorial Board for the journals Episodes and All Earth (Geodinamica Acta) and is editing a three-part book series for the American Geophysical Union on compressional, extensional, and strike-slip tectonics. Catlos has been a Lead Science Reviewer and served on Independent Review Teams for NASA, participating in multiple review panels.
At UT Austin, she is a member of the oversight committee for the Electron Microbeam Facility and serves on various departmental and school-wide committees. She actively engages in international programming on campus and is involved with the Fulbright Alumni Association, interviewing students applying for Fulbright and other study abroad programs.
Catlos earned her Bachelors degree in Chemistry with a Specialization in Earth Science from the University of California, San Diego, and a Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Ph.D.
in Geochemistry, UCLA, 2000
B.S.
in Chemistry with Specialization in Earth Science, UC San Diego, 1994
Please see https://catloslab.org/
Associate Editor,
AGU Books, Wiley Publications (2020)
Associate Editor,
Editorial Board, International Union of Geological Sciences, Episodes (2015)
Councilor/Chair,
Arthur L. Day Medal Awards Committee, Geological Society of America (2015 - 2016)
Associate Editor/Editorial Board member,
Geodinamica Acta: The European Journal of Geodynamics, Geodinamica Acta (2015)
Liaison,
Student Advisory Council, Geological Society of America (2015 - 2017)
Member,
Ad hoc committee focused on IIGs and Divisions, Geological Society of America (2015 - 2017)
Councilor/Conferee (Non-Voting),
Diversity in the Geosciences Committee, Geological Society of America (2014 - 2017)
Councilor,
Doris M.Curtis Memorial Fund for Women in Science Committee, Geological Society of America (2014 - 2016)
Liaison,
Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Petrology, Volcanology Division, Geological Society of America (2014 - 2017)
Liaison,
Structural Geology and Tectonics Division, Geological Society of America (2013 - 2017)
Elected Councilor,
Geological Society of America Council, Geological Society of America (2013 - 2017)
Standing Review Board Member,
Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer-Mass Spectrometer (MOMA-MS), Mars Program Office (MPO) Intake/Entrance Review, NASA (2013 - 2014)
Leader,
Workshop for Early Career Geoscience Faculty, On the Cutting Edge (2013)
Reviewer,
Review of the Faculty Activities Report electronic system, UT Austin (2013)
Reviewer,
Selection Committee for Faculty-Led Programs for Summer Abroad, UT Austin (2013)
Chair,
South Central Section Management Board, Geological Society of America (2013)
Presenter,
Event to promote STEM education/careers for girls through Earth Science education, GirlTalk (2013)
Member-at-Large,
Young Scientist Award Committee-Donath Medal, Geological Society of America (2012 - 2015)
Vice Chair,
South Central Section Management Board, Geological Society of America (2012 - 2013)
Co-Chair,
GSA Annual Meeting Session 207 Advances in Mineralogy and Petrology, Geological Society of America (2012)
Undergraduate Advisor,
Dept. Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences (2012 - 2013)
Lead Science Instructor,
10th Grade Arizona GeoForce Field Trip, GeoForce (2012)
Reviewer,
Committee to interview and mentor UT students applying for the Fulbright Study Abroad program, UT Austin (2012)
Undergraduate Advisor,
Environmental Science program, Environmental Science Institute-Dept. Geol. Sciences (2012 - 2013)
Lead Science Instructor,
10th Grade Arizona GeoForce Field Trip, GeoForce (2011)
Reviewer,
Committee to interview and mentor UT students applying for the Fulbright Study Abroad program, UT Austin (2011)
Panel Member,
Mars Science Laboratory Participating Scientist Review, NASA (2011)
Independent Review Team Member,
Independent Review of the MOMA - Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometer (LDMS), NASA (2010)
Invited participant,
Workshop Planning Activity to highlight best practices that integrate across multiple dimensions of university internationalization, particularly in science and engineering areas, NSF-Office of International Science and Engineering (2010)
Expert Witness,
93rd Judicial District, Hidalgo Country, Texas, Griffith and Garza, L.L.P. (2010)
Panel Member,
Astrobiology Science & Technology for Exploring Planets, NASA (2010)
Lead Science Instructor,
10th Grade Arizona GeoForce Field Trip, GeoForce (2010)
Reviewer,
Committee to interview and mentor UT students applying for the Fulbright Study Abroad program, UT Austin (2010)
Board Member,
South Central Section Management Board, Geological Society of America (2009)
Campus Representative,
Campus Representative for the Fulbright Program for the University of Texas, Austin, Fulbright (2009)
Vice President,
Austin Chapter of the Fulbright Alumni Association, Fulbright Alumni Association (2009)
Panel Member,
Review of instruments Urey: Mars Organic and Oxidant Detector and Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA), NASA (2007)
Panel Member,
Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program, NASA (2007)
Co-Chair,
Fall AGU Meeting, Extensional Tectonics in the Basin and Range Province of North America and the Aegean Region of Eastern Europe and Western Anatolia Session, American Geophysical Union (2007)
Co-Chair,
GSA Annual Meeting Session T53 Teaching Instrumentation to Geoscience Students: Course Design, Objectives, and Presentations, Geological Society of America (2006)
Co-Chair,
Fall AGU Meeting, Post-Collisional Extension Session, American Geophysical Union (2006)
Lead Science Reviewer,
Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program, NASA (2005)
Lead Science Reviewer,
Mars Science Laboratory/Sample Analysis at Mars, NASA (2005)
Panel Member,
Interdisciplinary Exploration Science Review, NASA (2005)
Co-Chair,
Fall AGU Meeting, Extensional Tectonics and Metamorphic Core Complexes: Their Metamorphic, Petrographic, and Kinematic Evolution Session, American Geophysical Union (2005)
Co-Chair,
GSA Annual Meeting Session T87 Recent Advances in Himalayan Geology, Geological Society of America (2004)
Panel Member,
Mars Science Laboratory Panel, NASA (2004)
Panel Member,
Mars Instrumentation and Development Panel, NASA (2003)
Panel Member,
Tectonics Panel, National Science Foundation (2002)
Co-Chair,
GSA Annual Meeting Session 6 Metamorphic Petrology I, Geological Society of America (2001)
Co-Chair,
Fall AGU Meeting, Thermal Structure of Tibetan and Himalayan Lithosphere: Implications for Geodynamic Models of the India-Asia Collision Session, American Geophysical Union (1999)
Max Kade Distinguished Visiting Professor
- Heidelberg University (2017 - 2017)
Carolyn G. and G. Moses Outstanding Teaching Award for Introductory Geoscience Course (GEO401)
- UT Austin (2015)
Outstanding Reviewer, Earth and Planetary Science Letters
- Elsevier (2015)
Notable Paper for Catlos (2013) "Generalizations about monazite: Implications for geochronologic studies" American Mineralogist
- Mineralogical Society of America (2013)
Texas Exes Teaching Award
- Texas Exes (2011)
Fulbright Lecturing Award
- Fulbright (2008 - 2009)
Donald D. Harrington Fellowship
- University of Texas at Austin (2007 - 2008)
Fellow of the Geological Society of America
- Geological Society of America (2007)
Young Scientist Award (Donath Medal)
- Geological Society of America (2006)
Junior Faculty Award
- Oklahoma State University (2006)
Outstanding Reviewer
- Geological Society of America Bulletin (2006)
Fellow
- Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics (2000)
Predoctoral Fellowship
- Smithsonian Institution (1997)
Summer Research Fellowship
- NASA Specialized Center for Research and Training in Exobiology (1994)
New insights into the uplift of the Himalayas through advances in metamorphic petrology,
Heidelberg University, Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg, Germany (2017)
New insights into the uplift of the Himalayas through advances in metamorphic petrology,
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Dept. Earth and Environmental Sciences, Munich, Germany (2017)
Response to slab roll-back: Revealing the geodynamic history of western Turkey from the Biga Peninsula to the Menderes Massif,
Geological Society of America 2016 GSA Topical Session, Denver, Colorado (2016)
Timing subduction processes via in situ (in thin section) zircon and baddeleyite geochronology: Examples from northern Turkey,
Geological Society of America 2015 GSA Topical Session, Baltimore, Maryland (2015)
Invited Seminar,
Louisiana State University, Dept. Geological Sciences, (2013)
Invited Seminar,
Undergraduate Geological Society, UT Austin, Dept. Geological Sciences, (2011)
Invited Seminar,
Pennsylvania State University, Geosciences Department (departmental talk), (2010)
Invited Seminar,
Pennsylvania NASA Space Grant Consortium (general talk to broader community), (2010)
Invited Seminar,
University of Arkansas, Department of Geology, (2008)
Invited Seminar,
Texas Earth Science Revolution program, Austin, TX (2008)
Invited Seminar,
Yale University, Department of Geology and Geophysics, (2007)
Invited Seminar,
University of Michigan, Department of Geological Sciences, (2007)
Invited Seminar,
UT Austin Jackson School of Earth Sciences, (2007)
Invited Seminar,
Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, Department of Geosciences, (2006)
Invited Seminar,
San Francisco State University, Department of Geology, (2005)
Invited Seminar,
University of Houston, Department of Geosciences, (2005)
Invited Seminar,
University of Missouri-Columbia, Dept. of Geological Sciences, (2005)
Invited Seminar,
Utah State University, Department of Geology, (2004)
Invited Seminar,
University of Kansas, Department of Geology, (2004)
Invited Seminar,
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Department of Geosciences, (2004)
Invited Seminar,
UT Dallas, Department of Geosciences, (2004)
Invited Seminar,
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Department of Geology Seminar Series, (2003)
Invited Seminar,
UT Austin, Jackson School of Earth Sciences, (2003)
Invited Seminar,
Arkansas-Oklahoma Center for Space and Planetary Sciences, (2002)
Invited Seminar,
Oklahoma State University-Phillips Petroleum, Electron Microprobe Presentation, (2002)
Invited Seminar,
Kansas State University, Department of Geology, (2002)
Invited Seminar,
University of Kansas, Department of Geology, (2002)
Invited Seminar,
University of Oklahoma, School of Geology and Geophysics, (2002)
Invited Seminar,
University of California, Riverside, Dept. of Earth Science, (2001)
Invited Seminar,
Florida State University; Dept. Geological Sciences; 2 talks, (2001)
Invited Seminar,
Oklahoma State University; Boone Pickens School of Geology, (2001)
