Professor of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
Rebecca Flowers is a professor of geological sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Flowers uses thermochronology, geochronology, and geologic observations to address problems in continental tectonics and mantle dynamics, with particular focus on understanding the coupling of deeper Earth and surface processes over extended (10s-100s Ma) timescales. Her (U-Th)/He geochronology lab also emphasizes the development and refinement of both conventional (e.g., apatite, zircon, titanite) and novel (e.g., conodonts, rutile, garnet) He thermochronometers. She is especially interested in creative, collaborative applications of (U-Th)/He data to problems in fields in which the technique has not typically been utilized. For example, her group has dated lunar zircon to constrain the impact history of the Moon, dated perovskite to determine the timing of kimberlite emplacement, and dated conodonts in an effort to decipher the thermal history of shales.