Overview

Terry Jordan is a geologist, in the discipline of stratigraphy, who studies sedimentary rocks in order to deduce past environmental conditions, information with which to reconstruct paleogeography and paleoclimate. Her research objectives are often to determine the context of the sedimentary rocks, in order to investigate basic questions such as the mechanical properties of the lithosphere, the tectonic history of the Andes Mountains, and the history of past climate conditions. Some of her research applies knowledge of Earth history and sedimentary rock properties to questions of supplies of and sustainable use of resources, such as assessing ground water resources, and the potential for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide. She completed her B.S. degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1974 and her Ph.D. at Stanford in 1979. From 2003-2008, she has served as Chair of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

Research Focus

Jordan`s research is pertinent to the resources industry as well as to government agencies which are responsible for management of resources. In Chile, she has interacted with mining companies and the national geological survey (SERNAGEOMIN) concerning assessments of ground water resources. In Argentina, she has interacted with national and private oil and gas firms in development of models of hydrocarbon systems, as well as to provide training for their staff. In New York State, she interacts with private industry and state regulatory agencies concerning the potential for sequestration of carbon dioxide.

Instruction Focus

Jordan teaches undergraduate and graduate courses which use the stratigraphic record as a source of information about Earth's history and environmental states. Current courses are: EAS 301: Evolution of the Earth System ? in collaboration with Susan Riha and Warren Allmon EAS 476: Sedimentary basins EAS 478: Advanced Stratigraphy

Additional Links

• Terry Jordan`s Home Page

Honors, Awards and Appointments

• Lawrence Sloss Award of the Sedimentary Geology Division of Geological Society of America - 2005
• Advisory subcommittee NSF Office of International Science & Engineering - 2004-2005
• Chair, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences - 2003-present
• Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, Engineering College - 2001-2003
• NSF award to Women Faculty in Science and Engineering - 1991-1996
• Honorary Corresponding Member of the Asociaci?n Geol?gica Argentina - 1990

Professional Activities

• Organizer of AAPG International Meeting - 1992
• Organizer of Symposia at GSA regional meeting - 1990
• Organizer of International Geological Congress - 1989

Selected Publications

• Jordan, T.E., Isacks, B.L., Allmendinger, R.W., Brewer, J.A., Ramos, V.A., and Ando, C.J., 1983, Andean tectonics related to geometry of subducted Nazca plate: GSA Bulletin, v. 94, p. 341-361.
• Nester, P.L., Gayo, E.M., Latorre, C., Jordan, T.E., and Blanco, N., Perennial stream discharge in the hyperarid Atacama Desert of northern Chile during the latest Pleistocene: Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, v. 104, p. 19724-19729 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0705373104
• Hoke, G.D, Isacks, B.L., Jordan, T.E., and Yu, J.S., 2004, Evolution of mountain-scale landforms during progression from an arid to hyper-arid state, northern Chile: Geology, v. 32, p. 605-608.
• G?mez, E.,Jordan, T.E., Allmendinger, R. W., Hegarty, K., Kelley, S., Heizler, M., 2003, Controls on architecture of the Late Cretaceous to Cenozoic southern Middle Magdalena Valley Basin, Colombia: Geological Society America Bulletin, v. 115, p. 131-147.
• Jordan, T.E., Mu?oz, N., Hein, M., Lowenstein, T., Godfrey, L., and Yu, J., 2002, Active faulting and folding without topographic expression in an evaporite basin, Chile: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 114, p. 1406-1421.
• Jordan, T.E., Schlunegger, F., and Cardozo, N., 2001, Unsteady and spatially variable evolution of the Neogene Andean Bermejo foreland basin, Argentina: Journal South American Earth Sciences, v. 14, p. 775-798.
• Jordan, T.E. Burns, W.M., Veiga, R., P?ngaro, F., Copeland, P., Kelley, S., Mpodozis, C., 2001, Extension and basin formation in the southern Andes caused by increased convergence rate: a mid-Cenozoic trigger for the Andes: Tectonics, v. 20, p. 308-324.
• Jordan, T.E., 1995, Retroarc Foreland and Related Basins, chapter in C. Busby and R. Ingersoll, eds., Tectonics of Sedimentary Basins: Blackwell Scientific Publications, p. 331-362.
• Jordan, T.E., Allmendinger, R.W., Damanti, J.F., and Drake, R.E., 1993, Chronology of Motion in a Complete Thrust Belt: the Precordillera, 30-31?S, Andes Mountains: Journal of Geology (Centennial issue), v. 101, p. 135-156.
• Jordan, T.E., and Flemings, P.B., 1991, Large-scale stratigraphic architecture, eustatic variation, and unsteady tectonism: a theoretical evaluation: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 96, p. 6681-6699.
• Jordan, T.E., 1981, Thrust loads and foreland basin evolution, Cretaceous, western United States: AAPG Bulletin, v. 65, p. 2506-2520.

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