Chelsea is the Principal Investigator (PI) at UTK Tectonics. Her research seeks to understand how crustal, surface, and tectonic processes deform & shape Earth’s continents. Her current projects study the construction, evolution, and demise of Earth's major mountain ranges through a combination of fieldwork, balanced cross section construction,  basin analysis, geo-/thermochronology data, numerical modeling, & other approaches (see Research Approach & Projects pages for more details).

Before joining UTK, she held appointments as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Connecticut and NSF Graduate Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. 

When she's not on campus, you can find her outside (climbing, hiking) or exploring some of the food, art, & live music around town.

Jonathan Anaya is a sedimentary geologist interested in basin analysis, tectonics, and sediment routing. His research integrates field-based observations with geochronology and thermochronology to reconstruct sediment-routing systems, basin thermal histories, and the tectonic evolution of sedimentary basins.

Julian’s research involves using applications of petrology, structural geology, and various geo-thermochronologic datasets to understanding continental growth, orogenesis, and lithospheric exhumation. His work at UTK broadly focuses on the Cenozoic thermal evolution of the Menderes Massif of western Türkiye. 

Prior to UTK, Julian received his Master’s at the University of Texas at El Paso, and his PhD at the University of Connecticut. Off-campus, you can find Julian practicing guitar or out hiking trails.

Boyd's research is focused on reconstructing the timing and magnitude of shortening and exhumation in the Canadian Cordillera. They are interested in understanding the kinematics of deformation within the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the driving processes behind deformation propagation, and how external processes (e.g., terrane accretion) influence sedimentation in the adjacent Alberta foreland basin. They approach these questions using low-temperature thermochronology, flexural modeling, and integrated thermokinematic numerical modeling. 

When they aren't on campus, you can find Boyd at the climbing gym, walking their dog, or at the ceramic studio. 

Lili's MS investigates possible connections between thin-skinned faults exposed in the Argentina Precordillera and deep faults underlying intraforeland basement uplifts in the southern Central Andes – a structural system has generated historically devastating earthquakes. Her work involves flexural thermokinematic modeling of balanced structural cross sections. These models are be validated through comparison to low-temperature thermochronology data, basin subsidence histories, and modern topography.  

Lili enjoys hanging out with her dogs Juno and Roy, attending concerts, and fiber arts.

Ainsley joined the Tectonics Lab in January 2026 and has since gained extensive research, field, and collaborative experience within the broader tectonics community. Through her work with Dr. Chelsea Mackaman-Lofland and the lab group, she has participated in research and field experiences across Arizona, Nevada, California, Montana, and Canada. These opportunities have expanded her understanding of tectonic processes beyond the classroom while allowing her to collaborate with researchers and students across the geosciences. She is especially grateful for the mentorship, support, and opportunities made possible through the generosity of the UTK EEPS Department and the Tectonics Lab group.

With her creative and artistic background, Ainsley also enjoys finding effective ways to communicate scientific concepts and research findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Cat is working on a project that uses low-temperature thermochronology data from Earth's surface and below (down a core!) to learn about the thermal history of the Alberta foreland basin and Northern Rocky Mountains. Cat has also been a major player in building the mineral separation lab at UTK.

Cat also likes to do a lot of crafting, reading, listening to music, and using things they have made or altered.

Selah is a junior in Herbert College of Agriculture, working toward her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science. She is a new addition to the tectonics team and will be working with the group to collect and interpret thermochronology data and create thermal history models. 

In her free time, she can be found biking, running, or practicing ceramics.