Ryan Porter’s research is focused on using natural-source seismic imaging to better understand tectonic processes on Earth. Using techniques such as receiver functions, ambient noise tomography, and surface wave tomography to image the Earth’s subsurface, Ryan studies how the crust and mantle have evolved in recent and ancient times. He is specifically interested in the role that lithospheric-scale processes play in shaping the landscape that we observe at the surface today. Ryan’s research has primarily concentrated on the North and South American Cordillera and South Africa and he has been involved with field projects in California, Arizona, Wyoming, Washington State, Argentina, and Peru
