Structural Geology: The Mechanics of Deforming Metamorphic Rocks

Alison received a BSc in geology from the University of Edinburgh in 1977 and a PhD from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1981. Since then she has been a researcher at Monash University, at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia, and most recently at the University of Western Australia.
Alison’s research is in structural geology, the mechanics of hydrothermal systems, computer modelling of coupled deforming systems with heat and fluid transport and the thermodynamics of chaotic systems. Her interests are in applying the tools developed for nonlinear dynamical systems, particularly multifractal analysis and recurrence plots, to large data sets on alteration assemblages, deformation and mineralisation in mineralising systems in order to quantify and fingerprint various classes of hydrothermal mineralising systems. Her goal is to develop a new paradigm for mineral exploration based on nonlinear dynamics.