Prof. James Jackson, CBE, MA, PhD, FRS. Professor of Active Tectonics.
I supervise Earth Sciences modules in years 1, 3 and 4 of the Natural Sciences Tripos for Queens' undergraduates.
I use earthquakes to study the processes that produce the major surface features of the continents, such as mountain belts and basins. In addition to seismology, my current research uses the powerful range of satellite-based techniques now available, combined with observations of the landscape in the field, to study how the continents develop and deform on all scales, from the movement that occurs in individual earthquakes to the evolution of mountain belts. My field work has taken me to many parts of the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, Africa, New Zealand and North America. I am increasingly involved in how to use the insights obtained by geologists to reduce the appalling risk from earthquakes to populations in developing countries.
I am Professor of Active Tectonics and was Head of the Department of Earth Sciences from 2008-2016. I lecture in years 3 and 4 of the undergraduate Earth Sciences course, and I also lead the first year field trip to Scotland and the third year field trip to Greece.
