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Biography

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Field Experience

I am a field-based structural geologist and geochronologist. I am the geochronologist in our structure and tectonic team and am adamant that geochronology samples must be located within a detailed structural framework. I have undertaken detailed structural research and in many cases a geochronological study of:

• Otago Schist, New Zealand;
• Ios metamorphic core complex, Greece;
• Sifnos HP locality, Greece;
• Lago di Cignana, UHP locality Western Alps, Italy;
• Maloja/Arosa Shear Zones and Turba Zone, Swiss Alps;

And regional studies in:

• Tso Morari UHP zone, Himalaya;
• Indus Suture zone, Himalaya;
• Rohtang La barrovian section, Himalaya;
• Shimla Klippe, Himalaya
• Evvia, northern Greece;
• Syros HP locality, Greece;
• Naxos metamorphic core complex, Greece;
• The Vanois, French Alps;
• Glarus Thrust, Swiss Alps;
• Extensional zones in NE China;

Teaching & Lectures

Post-graduate courses –
I am a research scientist, however I teach my research methods, structure/tectonics, argon geochronology and field mapping to post-graduate students. The courses I teach are designed to show that structural geology, tectonics and geochronology should be studied and researched together as an holistic approach. Courses are both theoretical and practical including both laboratory and microscopy.
Field mapping courses, for example:

• Structural Mapping
• Advanced Structural Mapping
• Mesoscopic-scale Structural Analaysis
• Reading Rocks (theoretical lectures with associated microscopy practicals)

and have been set out as field mapping projects for single or groups of students and have been run at:

• Lake Glenmaggie (Victoria Australia),
• Liptrap (Victoria Australia),
• Broken Hill (N.S.W. Australia),
• Bermagui (N.S.W. Australia),
• Ios metamorphic core complex (Greece),
• Western Alps UHP zone (Europe),

generally lasting for several weeks with either undergraduate students, post-graduate students and/or professional industry people.

 

Invited Lectures

Stanford University:
“Argon Geochronology: Dating deformation in the argon partial retention zone”
Peking University:
“Unravelling the timing of deformation events: Orogenic Sequence Diagrams and 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology”
Athens University:
“Tectonic Sequence Diagrams and Dating Deformation”
Eurispet (ANU):
“Dating Fabrics: The Application of 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology”

 

Fellowships and Awards

ARC:  Australian Research Fellowship 2008
ARC:  Australian Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2004
Australian Post-graduate Award 1998
Monash University:

• CRA Mapping prize, 3rd Year Field Based Award, Top Student 1994
• Aberfoyle Bursary, third year Geology and Geophysics
• for outstanding achievement 1994
• Dux 3rd Year Geology 1994
• Dux 2nd Year Geology 1993
• Aberfoyle Bursary, second year Geology and Geophysics
• for outstanding achievement 1993
• Dux 1st Year Geology 1992

 

Relevant Employment History

• Australian Research Fellow

Structure and Tectonics/Argon Geochronology
The Australian National University

• Australian Post-Doctoral Fellow,

Structure and Tectonics/Argon Geochronology
The Australian National University

2003-2004 - Research Fellow

Structure and Tectonics/Argon Geochronology
The Australian National University

• Research Fellow

Argon Thermochronology Laboratory
The University of Melbourne
1998-1999 - Coordinator of MSc (Environmental Management)
Faculty of Science, Monash University

Qualifications

Ph.D.              Episodicity during Orogenesis. Earth Sciences, Monash University, 2002
M.Sc.  Deformation and metamorphism of the upper plate Ios, Cyclades, Greece            Level I (Hons. HI Equivalent) Monash University, 1996
B.Sc.              Earth Sciences, Monash University, 1994

Competitive funding for the past five years

ARC LE0882818: Investigating the Structure and Evolution of the Continental Crust: A Virtual Facility for Thermochronology. (2007) Vasconcelos P.; Ireland T.; Gleadow A.; Gasparon M.;  Knesel K.;   Rosenbaum G.; Kohn B.;  Phillips D.; Sandiford M.; Wilson C.;  Saint A.; Buick I.; Forster M.;  et al. $650,000
ARC DP0877274: Tectonic mode switches and the nature of orogenesis. (2007) Lister, Gordon S; Forster, Margaret A (ARF); Richards, S. (ADP), $918,000
ARC DP0449975 “Revisiting The Alpine Paradigm” (2004) Lister, G, Dunlap, W. Forster, M. (APD). ~$800,000
ARC DP0984605 “Shear zones and large earthquakes” (2009) (Submitted). Dr Margaret Anne Forster, Prof Gordon Stuart Lister, Dr John Douglas Fitz Gerald.