Carol A. Stein

My research covers a range of topics in plate tectonics dealing with the thermal and mechanical evolution of the lithosphere. These studies use a variety of data and modeling approaches, with primary emphasis on measurements of heat flow at the sea floor. Such heat flow data, when combined with other geophysical observations, provide a valuable constraint on the time-dependent thermal structure and hence evolution of the lithosphere. I have studied various aspects of these processes including the reference models for the average thermal evolution of oceanic lithosphere, differences in regional subsidence, midplate swells and hotspot regions, and hydrothermal circulation in normal oceanic lithosphere. Most recent projects include the thermal state of 25 million year old oceanic crust near the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica (the "TicoFlux" project), heat flow differences on the North American and Eurasian plates near Iceland, an analysis of heat flow near subduction zones, and studying the 1.1 billion year old Mid-Continent Rift System of North America.

Professional Excellence Award in Academia and Research of the Association for Women Geoscientists, 2023

Science Advisor for Eos, of the American Geophysical Union, 2019-2021

Chair, Geophysics and Geodynamics Division of the Geological Society of America, 2017-2019

Editor for Eos, the newspaper of the American Geophysical Union, 2010-2019

Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2013