Joel Leonard is a geomorphologist interested in the tectonic and surface evolution of orogenic systems who uses an array of field geology, geochronology, remote sensing, and numerical modeling techniques to investigate both modern landscapes and the sedimentary basin archive of ancient orogens. Current research projects focus on understanding how interactions between tectonic and climatic processes control landscape form, the nature of coupling between orogenic processes and foreland basin deposits, and developing new applications of remote sensing techniques for geomorphic research.