Crustal Deformation Group
at Columbia University
The Crust-Def Group at Columbia University investigates how the earth's crust and lithosphere deforms in response to tectonic loading and how the deformation processed lead to earthquake rupture and sedimentary basin development. Our research employs and integrates field observations, geophysical imaging, numerical modeling, and laboratory geomechanical rock testing experiments.
Group Members
Folarin Kolawole, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator)
Dr. Kolawole is the Principal investigator at the Crust-Def Group at Columbia University. He integrates field geological observations, geophysical imaging, and laboratory geomechanics to study the brittle deformation of the Earth's crust and lithosphere. Currently, my research largely focuses on unraveling 1.) how strain is accommodated during the initiation and evolution of divergent plate boundaries, and 2.) the geological and mechanical structure of intraplate faults, and the nature of the contemporary stress state that facilitate their seismic reactivation, in relation to both natural and induced intraplate earthquakes.
Rasheed Ajala, Ph.D. (NSF Postdoc Fellow, Lamont Postdoctoral Fellow)
Dr. Ajala is currently a NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. His primary research area is Computational Seismology, and he is interested in developing and utilizing seismic imaging techniques to investigate the Earth’s crustal and lithospheric structure, with the aim of advancing the understanding of tectonic processes and improving seismic hazard assessment. His study areas include Southern California, Indo-Burma, US East Coast, and Eastern/Southern Africa.
Currently, his research is focused on (1) development and implementation of numerical algorithms for merging velocity models across the East African Rift System, Statewide California and Cascadia Subduction Zone which are critical for earthquake ground shaking simulations, (2) investigation of the velocity and thermal structure of East African's extending lithosphere using seismology, and (3) seismological investigation of crustal structure across the Ramapo Seismic Zone and the broader Newark Basin in New York and New Jersey.
Leonard Ohenhen, Ph.D. (Lamont Postdoctoral Fellow)
Dr. Ohenhen is currently a Lamont Postdoctoral Fellow at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, and will be starting a Tenure Track Assistant Professor position at University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) in Fall 2025. Leonard is a geodesist/geophysicist with specialization in satellite geodesy, signal processing, near surface geophysics, as applied to the physics of crustal deformation. Leonard's research areas cover the whole planet, elucidating the subtle but fundamental mechanisms that drive ground subsidence in highly populated coastal areas and continental interiors. Leonard's works have been featured in New York Times and Washington Post.
At the Crust-Def Lab, he is using cutting edge geodetic techniques to explore the spatiotemporal patterns of land subsidence in areas of interacting tectonic, magmatic, anthropogenic, and sea level change -related perturbations of land subsidence.
Meritxell Colet (PhD Candidate)
Meritxell's PhD research investigates multi-scale crustal structure and modes of strain release along evolving continental divergent plate boundaries. Her current projects explore the initiation of microplates, the relationships between long-term evolution of rift border faults on earthquake processes, and active tectono-magmatic processes. Her research approach integrates field structural geology and seismology. Her current research areas include the East African Rift System (Tanzania and Congo) and Northeast Pacific (offshore Oregon, US).
Meri's ongoing PhD research has won a NSF GRFP honorable mention, and multiple grant awards including the Lewis & Clark Fund and the AAPG Student Grant Award. Meri joined the Crust-Def lab in 2023 Fall. Prior to joining the Crust-Def Lab, Meritxell worked as a Field System Engineer and Analyst at the Infrasound Lab (ISLA) at the University of Hawaiʻi (UH).
Andry Ramarolahy (PhD Student)
Andry is investigating mechanics and kinematic complexities along propagating rifts that exploit inherited plate boundaries in the southern branches of the East African Rift System. Prior to joining the Crust-Def Lab, Andry obtained a MS degree in seismology from the Institute and Observatory of Geophysics of Antananarivo in Madagascar.
Lela Kornfeld (Undergraduate Researcher)
Lela is a Sophomore, pursuing an undergraduate degree in Earth Sciences. She is investigating the structure of damage and alteration zones along active faults in eastern California. Her research involves field-based structural mapping and laboratory analysis of fault rock microstructure. Lela joined the Crust-Def lab in Spring 2023.
Alexa Mitchell (Undergraduate Researcher)
Lex is a C.P. Davis Scholar Junior undergrad, majoring in Earth Science. Lex's research investigates the damage zone of an active basement fault in New York City by combining multi-scale field-based structural mapping of fracture distribution and passive seismic imaging of velocity distribution across the fault zone. Lex joined the Crust-Def lab in Fall 2024.
Mia Yiannias (Undergraduate Researcher)
Mia is a Junior undergrad, majoring in Earth Science and Applied Mathematics. Mia joined the Crust-Def lab in Fall 2024. Mia's research involves the utilization of electrical resistivity tomography to image and characterize the shallow subsurface structure of the Mountainville Fault Zone- an active basement-rooted intraplate fault zone that ruptured the 2024 Mw4.8 Tewksbury, New Jersey earthquake.
Our Alumni
Cameron Grant (Undergraduate Researcher- Graduated Spring 2024)
Cameron (CU 2024) was an undergraduate student in Earth Sciences. He joined the Crust-Def lab as a Junior in Fall 2022 and completed his undergraduate senior thesis in the lab in May 2024. During the two years in the lab, he investigated fault development and scaling relationships in incipient rift zones. His research involved the integration of remote sensing, field structural geology, and geophysics to investigate fault growth in the Okavango-Makgadikgadi Rift Zone. His work produced two conference abstracts and a journal article published in Earth & planetary Science Letters (Grant et al., 2024, EPSL). Cameron starts his graduate studies at the Colorado School of Mines in Fall 2025.
Christian Rowan (Graduate Student, Fall 2022 - Spring 2025)
Chris’s research at CU's Crustal Deformation Lab investigated the space-time evolution of maturing continental rifts in the Turkana Depression of the East African Rift System. His research involved the integration of field geology, seismic reflection interpretation, and potential field geophysics.
Zach Foster-Baril (Postdoc, Jan. 2024 - Feb. 2025)
Zach’s research at CU's Crustal Deformation Lab involved the use of low temperature thermochronology to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of rift-related crustal deformation across the Fundi Basin in the Eastern North American rifted margin.
Sydney Maguire (Graduate Student, Fall 2023 - Spring 2024)
Sydney’s research at CU's Crustal Deformation Lab involved the investigation of how pull-apart basin-bounding faults evolve, with particular focus on fault zone structure and kinematics.
Eva Sharman (Undergraduate Researcher, Fall Intern, 2023)
Eva is an undergraduate student, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. During her time with the lab, she worked on a project investigating upper mantle seismic anisotropy patterns beneath a segment of the East African Rift System.
Macy Matthews (Undergraduate Researcher, Summer Intern, 2023)
Macy is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Earth Sciences. During her internship, she worked on a research that involve the mapping of fracture systems in subsurface cores.
Krista Watson (NSF-REU, Summer Intern, 2023)
Krista is an undergraduate major in Ecology at Gateway Community College, Connecticut. During their NSF-REU internship at the CU Crust-Def lab, Krista investigated crustal deformation and geomorphic expression of incipient rift reactivation in a basin along the East African Rift System.
Sarah H. Alsharif (Undergraduate Researcher, Summer Intern, 2023)
Sarah is an undergraduate student in Earth and Environmental Engineering. During her summer research at tour lab, she worked on a research involving the use of tectonic geomorphology techniques to map surface-rupturing fault distribution in an active rift along the East African Rift System.
Farhan Tanvir (Undergraduate Researcher, Summer Intern, 2023)
Farhan is an applied physics undergraduate student, working on research involving the use of seismology techniques for imaging upper-crustal structure and tectonic deformation beneath a rift along the East African Rift System.
Patrick Boston (Visiting Intern, Summer 2023)
Patrick is an undergraduate major in Geology at Mid-Western State University, Texas. During his internship at our lab, he worked on the coupling of brittle damage and fault displacement across a border fault relay zone in the Albertine Rift, Uganda.
Lawson Goodloe (Undergraduate Researcher, Fall Intern, 2022)
Lawson is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Earth & Environmental Engineering. Lawson's research in our lab utilized seismology techniques to investigate crustal structure beneath an active rift zone.