• Knesel studies the origin and behavior of magma. He and his students combine field, textural, and geochemical study of volcanic rocks with laboratory simulation of molten rock to improve our understanding of how volcanoes work. This information also provides insight into large-scale geodynamic processes, such as the motion and interaction of tectonic plates and their influence on the flow of mantle rock.

    Most recently, Knesel and his students have been investigating eruptive behavior of rhyolitic volcanoes, which are among the most destructive on Earth. Student projects are currently focused on decoding chemical signatures and textural analysis of tiny crystals and bubbles in volcanic glass from the largest volcano in eastern Australia to better understand pre-eruptive conditions and processes dictating eruptive style.

    • Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
    • B.A., University of Southern Mississippi

    • Volcanology
    • Oceanography
    • Earth's Environmental Systems
    • Solid Earth Processes
    • Earth Materials
    • Geosciences Seminar
    • Majors Field Trip