Dr. Philip A. Pearthree

Phil Pearthree is currently Director of the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS). He grew up in the Midwest, graduated from Oberlin College in 1977, and came west to the University of Arizona for graduate school. He gained incredibly valuable geologic expertise and research experience as a graduate student in Geosciences, obtaining his M.S. in 1982 and Ph.D. in 1990. His research focused primarily on geomorphology, Quaternary geology, and active tectonics. He joined the AZGS as a Research Geologist in 1988. There he developed a vigorous program of research, mapping, and investigations in surficial geology, geologic hazards, environmental geology, aggregate resources, and late Cenozoic landscape development and river evolution, assisted by of many excellent UA graduate students and graduates. He assumed the position of Director in late 2016, very soon after the AZGS was reunited with the UA. He helped re-establish base state funding for the AZGS in 2017, guided the integration of the AZGS into the UA, and rebuilt staff capabilities, and fostered renewed growth in research funding working with existing staff and strategic hires while continuing to be involved in geologic mapping and research efforts.