Delores Marie Robinson is an American geologist and tectonicist who is a professor and department chair at the University of Alabama. Her research considers how orogenic systems evolve from porto-magmatic arcs, with a particular focus on Western Nepal, India, Bhutan and Southern Tibet.

Delores Marie Robinson
Alma materGuilford College
Vanderbilt University
University of Arizona
Scientific career
InstitutionsUniversity of Alabama
ThesisStructural and neodymium-isotopic evidence for the tectonic evolution of the Himalayan fold-thrust belt, western Nepal and the northern Tibetan Plateau (2001)

Early life and education edit

Robinson studied at the Guilford College, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in geology in 1994.[1] She completed a research project on the gravity and magnetics of diabase dikes in Jamestown, North Carolina.[2] She moved to Vanderbilt University for graduate studies, earning a master's degree in 1997. Her research involved the characterization of magma chamber dynamics in Aztec Wash pluton.[3] Robinson became a doctoral student at the University of Arizona researching the kinematic history, structure and stratigraphy of Western Nepal. In 2001, Robinson was awarded a PhD.[4] During Robinson's research in Western Nepal, she created a geological map.[5]

Research and career edit

Robinson started her professional career as a structural geologist at BP in Alaska. She was appointed to the faculty of the University of Alabama in 2003, and promoted to Professor and Chair of Geological Sciences in 2010.[6] Her lithospheric scale and provenance studies research links structure, sedimentation, tectonics, and erosion through the use of field mapping, thermochronometers, geochronometers, and isotopes to reconstruct fold and thrust belts and theorize the evolution of mountain belts and orogenic systems.[7] Her research has considered the tectonics of the Himalayas.[8][9][10] In an effort to identify hidden hydrocarbons, Robinson collects and analyzes rocks and makes use of seismic data.[9]

Selected publications edit

  • Peter G. DeCelles; Delores M. Robinson; Jay Quade; T. P. Ojha; Carmala N. Garzione; Peter Copeland; Bishal N. Upreti (August 2001). "Stratigraphy, structure, and tectonic evolution of the Himalayan fold-thrust belt in western Nepal". Tectonics. 20 (4): 487–509. Bibcode:2001Tecto..20..487D. doi:10.1029/2000TC001226. ISSN 0278-7407. Wikidata Q97323495.
  • Peter G. DeCelles; Delores M. Robinson; George Zandt (December 2002). "Implications of shortening in the Himalayan fold-thrust belt for uplift of the Tibetan Plateau". Tectonics. 21 (6): 12-1–12-25. Bibcode:2002Tecto..21.1062D. doi:10.1029/2001TC001322. ISSN 0278-7407. Wikidata Q97323511.
  • Delores M. Robinson; Peter G. DeCelles; P. Jonathan Patchett; Carmala N. Garzione (November 2001). "The kinematic evolution of the Nepalese Himalaya interpreted from Nd isotopes". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 192 (4): 507–521. Bibcode:2001E&PSL.192..507R. doi:10.1016/S0012-821X(01)00451-4. ISSN 0012-821X. Wikidata Q104795803.

Awards and honors edit

Personal life edit

Robinson is married with four children.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Delores Robinson – Geological Sciences". geo.ua.edu. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  2. ^ Robinson, Delores M (1994). Gravity and magnetics study of diabase dikes in the Jamestown Quarry, Guilford County, North Carolina (Thesis). OCLC 870666853.
  3. ^ Robinson, Delores M (1997). Investigating magma chamber dynamics through the examination of accessory minerals: the Aztec Wash pluton, southern Nevada (Thesis). OCLC 38268430.
  4. ^ Robinson, D. M.; DeCelles, P. G.; Garzione, C. N.; Pearson, O. N.; Harrison, T. M.; Catlos, E. J. (2003-04-01). "Kinematic model for the Main Central thrust in Nepal". Geology. 31 (4): 359–362. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0359:KMFTMC>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0091-7613.
  5. ^ a b "Delores Robinson – ESWN". Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  6. ^ "Delores M. Robinson – Center for Sedimentary Basin Studies". csbs.ua.edu. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  7. ^ "Delores M. Robinson". geo.ua.edu/contact-us/directory. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  8. ^ Mukherjee, Soumyajit; Carosi, Rodolfo; Beek, Peter van der; Mukherjee, Barun Kumar; Robinson, Delores M. (2015-01-01). "Tectonics of the Himalaya: an introduction". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 412 (1): 1–3. doi:10.1144/SP412.14. hdl:2318/1528982. ISSN 0305-8719. S2CID 131497886.
  9. ^ a b Estes, Cary (April 13, 2020). "High Adventures in Geological Prospecting". Business Alabama Magazine. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  10. ^ Bryant, Chris (May 15, 2014). "Reaching for Rocks". Research magazine. University of Alabama. Archived from the original on 2016-08-19.
  11. ^ "Delores Robinson elected Fellow in Geological Society of America – Geological Sciences". geo.ua.edu. Retrieved 2021-07-03.