About

As an Earth Sciences Lecturer within the School of Science, I dedicate myself to excellence in teaching and research across a diverse range of Earth and Environmental Science topics.

I bring my world-leading research into the classroom to inspire the next generation, unravelling the enigmatic tectonic origins of Iceland (the world's lost 8th continent!) and teaching students to model ultra-deep aquifer systems to secure drinking water for future generations - just as I do for the €1,000,000 Horizon Europe RESCUE research project.

Research interests

My primary research areas include ultra-deep groundwater resources and plate tectonic theory. With a strong background in Earth sciences, geophysics, and numerical geodynamics, I am able to investigate Earth and environmental problems using a multi-disciplinary approach. Many of my current research projects are of interest to society, industry, and academia, including:

• RESCUE: RESources in Coastal groundwater Under hydroclimatic Extremes - Understanding ultra-deep groundwater resources for the next generation
• ICE: Icelandic Continent Exploration - Unveiling the world's lost 8th continent beneath Iceland

Whilst some of my research also addresses ongoing humanitarian crises:

• SPRinG: Sourcing Potable Resources in Gaza - Drinking water exploration for Gaza's 2 million inhabitants

Further research interests include:

• What is the role of the lithosphere in controlling plate motions?
• What potential does the UK have for ultra-deep offshore geothermal energy?
• Why do some continents break up 'magmatically' whilst others are 'magma-poor'?
• Where really is the East African transform margin?
• How and why do 'microcontinents' form?

My specific expertise includes: numerical groundwater simulations, plate tectonic modelling, gravity and potential field data, continental margin development, reflection seismics, GIS, geodynamic modelling, and structural geology.

Recent publications

• Phethean, J.J.J., Kalnins, L.M., van Hunen, J., McCaffrey, K.J.W., Davies, R.J., 2025. The Rovuma Transform Margin: Locating East Africa's Transform Continent‐Ocean Transition. Tectonics
• Rime, V., Kier, D., Phethean, J.J.J., Kidane, T., Foubert, A., 2024. Central Afar: An analogue for oceanic plateau development. Geology
• Longley, L., Phethean, J.J.J., Schiffer, C., 2024. The Davis Strait proto-microcontinent: The role of plate tectonic reorganization in continental cleaving. Gondwana Research
• Peace, A., Phethean, J.J.J., Schiffer, C., Jess, S., 2024. Halokinetically overprinted tectonic inversion of the Penobscot 3D volume offshore Nova Scotia, Canada. Pure and Applied Geophysics
• Zwaan, F., Alves, T., Cadenas-Martinez, P., Gouiza, M., Phethean, J.J.J., Brune, S., Gelrum, A., 2024. (D)rifting in the 21st century: Key processes, natural hazards and geo-resources. Solid Earth
• Akinwumiju, A., Satterfield, D., Phethean, J.J.J., 2024. Evaluation of shale oil and gas plays - Part I: Shale reservoir property modelling of the North Sea Kimmeridge Clay Formation. Marine and Petroleum Geology
• Phethean, J.J.J., Peace, A., Papadopoulou, M., 2022. Dense melt residues drive near-MOR ‘hot-spots’. In “In the Footsteps of Warren B. Hamilton: New Ideas in Earth Science”. Geological Society of America
• Peace, A.L. and Phethean, J.J.J., 2022. The African continental divide: Indian versus Atlantic Ocean spreading during Gondwana dispersal. In “In the Footsteps of Warren B. Hamilton: New Ideas in Earth Science”. Geological Society of America
• Peace, A., Phethean, J.J.J., Franke, D., Foulger, G., Schiffer, C., Welford, J.K., McHone, G., Rocchi, S., Schnabel, M., Doré,A., 2020. A review of Pangea dispersal and Large Igneous provinces – In search of a causative mechanism. Earth Science Reviews
• Farangitakis, G.P., Sokoutis, D., McCaffrey, K.J.W., Willingshofer, E., Kalnins, L.M., Phethean, J.J.J., van Hunen, J., van Steen, V., 2019. Analogue modelling of plate rotation effects in transform margins and rift-transform intersections. Tectonics, 38, 823-841. DOI:10.1029/2018TC005261
• Peace, A.L., Dempsey, E.D., Schiffer, C., Welford, J.K., McCaffrey, K.J.W., Imber, J., Phethean, J.J.J., 2018. Evidence for Basement Reactivation during the Opening of the Labrador Sea from the Makkovik Province, Labrador, Canada: Insights from Field Data and Numerical Models. Geosciences 8, 308. doi:10.3390/geosciences8080308
• Schiffer, C., Peace, A., Phethean, J.J.J., Gernigon, L., McCaffrey, K., Petersen, K.D., Foulger, G.R., 2018. The Jan Mayen Microplate Complex and the Wilson Cycle. in Tectonic Evolution: 50 Years of the Wilson Cycle Concept: Geological Society of London Special Publications. DOI: 10.1144/SP470.2
• Phethean, J.J.J., Kalnins, L.M., van Hunen, J., Biffi, P.G., Davies, R.J., McCaffrey, K.J.W., 2016. Madagascar’s escape from Africa: A high-resolution plate reconstruction for the Western Somali Basin and implications for supercontinent dispersal. Geochemistry, Geophys. Geosystems 17, 5036–5055. doi:10.1002/2016GC006624
• Peace, A., McCaffrey, K., Imber, J., Phethean, J.J.J., Nowell, G., Gerdes, K., Dempsey, E., 2016. An evaluation of Mesozoic rift-related magmatism on the margins of the Labrador Sea: Implications for rifting and passive margin asymmetry. Geosphere 12, 6. DOI: 10.1130/GES01341.1

Membership of professional bodies

• Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA)
• Fellow of the Geological Society of London (FGSL)
• Member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU)
• Member of the European Geoscience Union (EGU)
• Member of the Società Italiana do mineralogia e Petrologia (SIMP)

Qualifications

• MSci in Geoscience - Durham University
• PhD in Geology and Geophysics - Durham University
• PGCertHE - University of Derby

Recent conferences

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Phethean, J.J.J.,

Li, Z., Bertoni, C., Lu, Y., 2025.

Rapid ML and semi-automated methods for large-scale subsurface data interpretation and reservoir modelling: Applications for offshore freshened groundwater.

EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Rime, V., Keir, D., <strongPhethean, J.J.J., Kidane, T., Foubert, A., 2025. The complex rift-to-drift transition: surprises and lessons from the Afar region. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Phethean, J.J.J., Schiffer, C., Rime, V., Longley, L., 2025. Diverse tectonic mechanisms emplace continental crust in the 'oceanic' realm. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Tranova, T.M.K., Phethean, J.J.J., Khan, W.A., Hussain, M., 2025. Lithospheric controls on plate tectonic motions and microcontinent formation, part 1: Mapping global transpression and transtension using gravity derivatives and machine learning. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Longley, L., Phethean, J.J.J., 2025. Mega-transform fault development: New insights from Geodynamic modelling using ASPECT and real-world examples. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Phethean, J.J.J., Peace, A.L., 2024. Dry ocean formation: Might some SDRs represent post-breakup non-classical oceanic crust? EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Longley, L.,Phethean, J.J.J., Heron, P., 2024. Deciphering the Role of Plate Motion Changes and Inherited Structures in Mega-Transform Fault Development Using Geodynamic Numerical Models. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Phethean, J. J. J., Papadopoulou, M., Peace, A. L., van Hunen, J., 2023 (Oral): Downwelling dense mantle residues and hotspot magmatism. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Peace, A., Phethean, J.J.J., Li, Yang, Foulger, G.R., 2023. Iceland: mantle plume or microcontinent? A zircon study. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Peace, A., Phethean, J.J.J., Li, Yang, Foulger, G.R., 2023. Deformable plate modelling of the NE Atlantic: Insights into the Iceland microcontinent and a continental Greenland-Iceland-Faroe Ridge. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A
• Ivanov, A.V., Foulger, G.R., Phethean, J.J.J., Pisarevsky, S.A., 2023. Wet melt ponding beneath thick lithosphere may explain continental flood basalt provinces. International Dyke Conference, Marrakesh, Morocco
• Peace, A., Foulger, G.R., Rimando, J. and Phethean, J.J.J., 2023. The not-so-Great Meteor Hotspot cannot explain Eastern Canada seismicity. GeoCongress, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
• Peace, A., Schiffer, C., Jess, S., Phethean, J.J.J., 2022. Fault reactivation and halokinesis: an example from the Penobscot 3D seismic volume, offshore Nova Scotia, Canada. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Foulger, G.R., Nikishin, A., Rodina, E., Startseva, K., Gernigon, L., Geoffroy, L., Phethean, J.J.J., Chernykh. A., 2022. The Arctic and NE Atlantic Realms: A comparison. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Phethean, J.J.J., 2021 (Oral). Making microcontinents: Cleaving crust or partitioning by plume. Comparison of Opening Ocean Basins: North Atlantic & Western Pacific Marginal Seas international workshop series. Online
• Peace, A., Schiffer, C., Jess, S., Phethean, J.J.J., 2021. Depth-dependent inversion of normal faults: Structural analysis of the Penobscot 3D seismic volume, offshore Nova Scotia. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Longley, L., Martin, L., Satchwell, B., Tomlinson, L., Phethean, J.J.J., 2021. Microcontinent cleaving and enigmatic proto subduction events (?): The role of transpressional transforms in plate tectonics of the Indian and North Atlantic Oceans. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Peace, A.L., Cadenas Martinez, P., Farangitakis, G.P., Phethean, J.J.J., Watremez, L., 2020. Structural inheritance and evolving rift kinematics in transform and oblique rift systems: A comparison of global examples. EGU General Assembly, Sharing Geoscience Online
• Phethean, J.J.J., Chamberlain, K.J., Boulay, A., McLennan, L.J., Watson, A.P., 2019. Pedagogy of structural measurements in the field: A comparison of the compass clinometer vs digital field work apps on learning and retention for male and female students. AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, US
• Phethean, J.J.J., Peace, A., Franke, D., Foulger, G., Schiffer, C., Welford, J.K., McHone, G., Rocchi, S., Schnabel, M., Doré, A., 2019. Pangaea dispersal and Large Igneous Provinces: Cause or effect? AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, US
• Watson, A.P., Phethean, J.J.J., 2019. Clues of a Cryptic Collapse: New extension indicators identified from the Early Ordovician margin of Avalonia constrained as post Penobscotian Orogenic collapse. AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, US
• Phethean, J.J.J., McCaffrey, K., Kalnins, L., van Hunen. J., 2019. Plates Pushing Back: An example of lithospheric control over plate kinematics during Gondwana dispersal.EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Phethean, J.J.J., Peace, A.L., 2019. Deformable plate tectonic models of Mesozoic continental breakup and transform system development in East Africa.EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria

Experience in industry

My PhD research was Sponsored by ENI, one of the 7 global energy supermajor corporations. During this project I worked closely with ENI, frequently visiting their head offices in Milan (Italy) for knowledge exchange and data interpretation.

In the media

• New International Research Partnership Addresses Global Water Shortage
• New Incompletely Rifted Microcontinent Identified Between Greenland and Canada

International experience

Alongside working with many international research partners from Italy, Norway, Canada, France, China, Malta, Germany, and the USA as part of the RESCUE and ICE projects, I also undertake frequent remote research fieldwork campaigns in Iceland, Greenland, and elsewhere around the globe.

Teaching responsibilities

I teach on a wide range of modules for our BSc Earth Sciences, BSc Environmental Sustainability, and MSc GeoEnergy degree programmes, including:

• Advanced Earth Scientist's Toolkit (L4)
• Sustainable Water Resources (L5)
• Imaging the Earth (L6)
• Modelling Earth Energy Systems (L6)
• Subsurface Geology (L7)

I also supervise student research projects at BSc, MSc and PhD level.

In my strive for teaching excellence, I enjoy actively engaging in pedagogic research, which is currently focused on 'digital learning tools in the field'.

Additional interests and activities

In addition to presenting my research at conferences, as a research leader in my field I also convene and chair conference sessions:

• Phethean, J.J.J., Erdős, Z., Tugend, J., Martínez, P.C., Jess, S., Zwann, F., Oravecz, É., 2025. Towards new understandings in Wilson Cycle processes: Rifting, Drifting, Inversion, and Orogenesis. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Papadopolou, M., Phethean, J.J.J., Matusiak-Malek, M., Comeau, M.J., Kalnins, L., 2025. Structure, origin, and evolution of anomalous magmatism across space and time. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Phethean, J.J.J., Erdős, Z., Martínez, P.C., Fossen, H., Jess, S., Peace, A.L., Zwann, F., 2024. Towards new understandings of Wilson Cycle processes: Rifting, Drifting and Inversion. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Papadopoulou, M., Phethean, J.J.J., Matusiak-Malek, M., Comeau, M.J., Kalnins, L., Grevemeyer, I., 2024. Structure, origin, and evolution of intraplate magmatism in space and time; insights from petrological, geochemical and geophysical studies. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Phethean, J.J.J., Martínez, P.C., Peace, A.L., Schiffer, C., Zwann, F., 2023. Towards new understandings of complex continental margins and oceans. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Martínez, P.C., Alves, T., Peron-Pinvidic, G., Gouiza, M., Phethean, J.J.J., 2022. The spatio-temporal evolution of rift systems and their tectonic imprint on the Wilson cycle. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
• Phethean, J.J.J., Peace, A.L., Martínez, P.C., Farangitakis, G.P., Foulger, G.R., Schiffer, C., Watremez, L., 2021. Complex oceans and margins: Oblique rifts, microcontinents, magmatism, transforms, and other inconveniences. EGU General Assembly, Online
• Martínez, P.C., Farangitakis, G.P., Peace, A.L., Phethean, J.J.J., Watremez, L., 2020. The spectrum of obliquity: A multidisciplinary approach from orthogonal rifts to transform tectonics. EGU General Assembly, Sharing Geoscience Online
• Strauss, J.V., Foulger, G.R., Ma, C., Phethean, J.J.J., 2019. The North Atlantic Realm from Neoproterozoic to Cenozoic: Orogens Old and New. AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, US

Furthermore, I serve as Topical Editor for the following journal special issues:

• Frank Zwaan, Tiago Alves, Patricia Cadenas Martínez, Mohamed Gouiza, Jordan J.J. Phethean, and Susanne Buiter (D)rifting into the future: the relevance of rifts and divergent margins in the 21st century. Solid Earth, European Geoscience Union