Department of Geological Sciences The Butler Research Group

About Me

Hello, I work primarily on computer simulations of Earth processes. These processes include thermal convection in Earth’s mantle and Earth’s long term evolution, flows in compacting and reactive porous media and spinning liquid fluid drops as they pertain to tektite evolution. I am also interested in simulating processes using geometries from images including determining macroscopic rock properties from simulations (the field of digital rock properties) and I have carried out some studies related to applied geophysics methods.

My wife, Erica Bird, and I have three daughters named Fiona, Rhiannon and Daphne and a son named Evan. With what free time I have left, I enjoy cross country skiing, and playing hockey.

EDUCATION:

  • B.Sc., McGill University (Montreal), 1994 Physics
  • M.Sc., University of Toronto, 1995
  • Ph.D., University of Toronto, 2000

WORK EXPERIENCE:

  • 2001 NSERC post-doctoral fellow, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, York University
  • 2001-2006 Assistant Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan
  • 2002 Visiting scholar, Cambridge University (U.K.), Institute of Theoretical Geophysics, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.
  • May - December 2007, Sabbatical leave taken at the Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University.
  • 2007-2013, Associate Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan
  • 2013- Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan
  • 2014-2015, Sabbatical leave taken at University of Victoria
  • 2015 - Department Head, Department of Geological Sciences

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

  • American Geophyical Union (AGU)
  • Canadian Geophysical Union (CGU)
  • Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (CSEG)

UNIVERSITY COURSES TAUGHT

  • Earth and How it Works, (Geol. 108)
  • Earth Processes, (Geol. 121)
  • Earth Physics, (Geol 282)
  • Gravity, Magnetic, Electromagnetic and Radiation Methods in Geophysics, (Geol 334)
  • Geophysics Field School, (Geol 485)