Leigh H. Royden

Leigh (Wiki) Royden combines her field insights as a geologist with her quantitative skills as a physicist to understand the large-scale deformation of continents (Asia, Europe, South America), the interplay between surface processes and tectonics (in particular the response of river systems to vertical motion of Earth’s crust), and subduction dynamics.  Her research on the importance of crustal rheology and flow provides a new paradigm for our understanding of the formation and long-term stability of continental plateaus, including Tibet.  Her insights in subductions dynamics help explain the record-breaking motion of the Indian plate before colliding with Asia.