Faculty Spotlight for January

Nadine McQuarrie came to Princeton in 2004 as an Assistant Professor.  Her research focuses on the kinematic evolution of mountain belts — from evaluating the sequential accumulation of strain in folds and faults that form high, 350-350 km-wide plateaus to the kinematics and dynamics of diffuse continental extension.  Research projects start with structurally-based field studies, typically through the creation of new geologic maps at previously unpublished scales or resolutions. Projects also involve the creation and sequential restoration of cross-sections in order to evaluate viable kinematic deformation histories.  Current projects include:

1) Tectonic reconstructions of the North America-Pacific plate boundary over the last 36 Myr - (animation of Western North America (36 Ma-0));

2) The interaction between erosion and deformation in fold-thrust belts in Bolivia - (animation of Andean fold-thrust belt, Bolivia);

3) The fundamental controls on the width of mountain belts, specifically looking at the northern edge of the Andean Plateau in Peru; and

4) Structural architecture and kinematics of the Himalayan Orogen in Bhutan.