Gregory Davis

Tenure Track Appointments

• Asst., Assoc., Full Professor, University of Southern California, –

Summary Statement of Research Interests

Professor Davis’ current research is focused on the tectonic evolution of northern China (with emphasis on the Yanshan fold and thrust belt), metamorphic core complexes, origin of low-angle extensional faults and gravity glide structures, regional tectonics of northern China and western United States. For the past six years he has undertaken field research in western Liaoning province that has dramatically changed the traditional Chinese understanding of the Yanshan fold and thrust belt in northern China — the so-called “Cradle of Chinese Tectonics”. The first three seasons of fieldwork led to the publication “Triassic and Jurassic tectonics in the eastern Yanshan belt, North China: Insights from the controversial Dengzhangzi Formation and its neighboring units” (Earth Science Frontiers, 1009, v. 16, #3). That work and a companion paper based on the last 3 field seasons that is now in progress (“The Early Mesozoic history of Liaoxi: Insights from the Early Jurassic Guojiadian Formation”). Collectively, this research indicates a much greater complexity of alternating extensional and contractional Yanshan deformation, and has yielded new radiometric dating and age controls on early Yanshan deformation.

Research Keywords

structural geology, regional tectonic studies, cordilleran orogen, extensional tectonics, u.s. and china, plate tectonics interpretations, Yanshan fold and thrust belt, North China, metamorphic core complexes

Detailed Statement of Research Interests

My current research is centered on the Phanerozoic evolution of northern China. It involves both field studies, primarily in the E-W Yanshan and Yinshan fold and thrust belts north of Beijing, and tectonic syntheses based on fieldwork and library research (principally from Chinese sources).  I have been involved in a  research program funded by the  China University of Geosciences/Beijing involving  field investigation of the tectonic history of a complexly deformed region in western Liaoning and eastern Hebei provinces. Funding for this research comes from a special grant to me alone, which to my knowledge is the only occasion when a foreign scientist has been give China government funds to work on a project strictly of his choosing and without the participation of Chinese colleagues. Results of this from 2006-2008 were published in May, 2009, and the results of field studies from 2009-2011 are currently being written up.

Other Presentations

• Yanshan allochthon, northern China:> 40 million years of mid-crustal detachment , Invited lecture, Beijing, China 6/2013, 2012-2013
• Yanshan allochthon, northern China:> 40 million years of mid-crustal detachment, Invited lecture, Beijing, 5/2013, 2012-2013

Journal Article

• Goldfarb, R. J., Hart, C., Davis, G. A., Groves, D. (2007). East Asian Gold: Deciphering the anomaly of gold in Precambrian cratons. Economic Geology. Vol. 102 (3), pp. 341-345.
• Davis, G. A. (2006). Some thoughts on Chinese Earth Sciences. Chinese Journal of Geological Education.. Vol. 10, pp. 1-8.

• USC or School/Dept Award for Teaching, General Education Teaching Award for 2005, College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, Fall 2005
• Achievement Plaque in Structural Geology and Tectonics from the China University of Geosciences/Beijing , Fall 2003
• Career Contribution Award from the Structural Geology/Tectonics Division of Geological Society of America, 2003
• USC Raubenheimer Outstanding Senior Faculty Award, 1991

Professional Memberships

• American Geophysical Union, 09/01/1961 –
• Geological Society of America (Fellow), 06/01/1959 –