NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy recognizes Brett Carpenter, associate professor and Willard L. Miller Chair in the School of Geosciences, as a recipient of the prestigious Brian E. and Sandra O’Brien Presidential Professorship.
Carpenter's research explores how fault structure and small-scale processes influence the broader behavior of faults and the Earth's crust. He is particularly focused on understanding how Earth materials behave under the shallow to mid-crustal conditions where many destructive earthquakes originate and propagate. His work supports improved forecasting of natural hazards and has critical applications in energy development and carbon sequestration.
Combining field-based structural observations from outcrops and boreholes with laboratory experiments, Carpenter investigates the mechanical, hydrologic, and acoustic properties of fault-related materials collected from around the world. His innovative approach enhances our understanding of the Earth’s dynamic systems and underscores the real-world impact of geoscience research.
The Brian E. and Sandra O’Brien Presidential Professorship honors faculty who demonstrate exceptional scholarly achievements and a strong commitment to teaching and research. Brett Carpenter exemplifies these qualities through his impactful teaching, research, and dedication to advancing the field of geosciences.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Three University of Oklahoma graduate students have been named winners of the 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition, which challenges participants to explain their research in three minutes to a non-specialist audience.
Sarah Sharif, a researcher with the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to create innovative light detectors that pick up mid-wave and long-wave infrared signals at higher temperatures than previously considered achievable.
A team from OU and WVU recently earned a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how concept cigarillos influence the potential for addiction. The results will be used to inform the FDA’s impending flavor ban on cigar products and could have wider-reaching implications for other tobacco products that come in flavors, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco-free nicotine pouches.
