Christy Till
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Phone: 480-727-2828
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School of Earth and Space Exploration ISTB4 Room 569 Tempe, AZ 85287
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Mail code: 6004Campus: Tempe
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Dr. Christy Till is a geologist and Associate Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University who leads a multidisciplinary research program that studies the role of magma in the formation and evolution of planets, known as the EPIC lab. Her research and that of the EPIC lab includes determining the timescales and triggers for eruptions at active volcanoes in the US, including Yellowstone, growing minerals and magma in high pressure and temperature laboratory experiments, and studying likely compositions of magma and crusts on exoplanets. She received her BS & MS at UC Santa Barbara and PhD at MIT and was employed by the US Geological Survey prior to starting at ASU in 2014.
Her work has been recognized with a variety of awards including the American Geophysical Union's 2024 Reginald Daly Lecture, an NSF CAREER grant, and the 2019 Early Career Award from the Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Volcanology & Petrology Division of the Geological Society of America. Research from the EPIC lab has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, USA Today, and Time and on programs from National Geographic, NPR, PBS, and AZ Channel 12. She also has been elected to a number of scientific leadership positions, including for SZ4D, and the Board of Directors, the Council and section leadership for the American Geophysical Union, the largest professional organization of Earth and space scientists. Dr. Till currently serves as the Associate Director of Faculty and Inclusive Community in SESE. Prior to her career as scientist, Dr. Till was employed full-time as a professional ballet dancer for five years in two world-renowned companies.
Dr. Till also is committed to inclusive excellence, as well as improving science communication. To this aim, she has served as the Associate Director for an Inclusive Community in SESE (2020-21, 2025-present) and was an inaugural AGU LANDInG Fellow (2021-2023), where she started her work on re-envisioning the processes around graduate qualifying exams and assessment. She also works with a variety of communities at Arizona State University, including at the intersection of the arts and science.
- Ph.D. Geology/Geochemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2011
- M.S. Geological Sciences, Univ. California, Santa Barbara 2005
- B.S. Geological Sciences, Univ. California, Santa Barbara 2004
Magmatic Processes; Volcano Science; Experimental Petrology; Subduction Zones; Mantle Melting; Diffusion Chronometry; Magmatism on Exoplanets; Critical Minerals
42) Till, C.B., Blatter, D.L., Folguera, A., LaFemina, P., Maryliyani, G.I., Ruch, J., in press, Tectonic Controls on the Distribution and Characteristic of Volcanoes (invited), in Encyclopedia of Volcanoes (3rd Edition).
41) **Ravi, S., Till, C.B., Robinson, M., 2025, On the Origin of Silicic Magmas on the Moon. Planetary Science Journal.
40) Till, C.B., 2025, Magmatic Trees: A Method to Compare Processes Between Igneous Systems. Volcanica. v. 8(1), p. 135-157.
39) ‡Wieser, P.E., Kent, A. J., Till, C. B., Abers, G., 2023, Geophysical and Geochemical Constraints on Magma Storage Depths along the Cascade Arc: Knowns and Unknowns. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. v. 24(11), e2023GC011025.
38) Kent, A.J., Till, C.B., Cooper, K.M., 2023, Start me up: The relationship between volcanic eruption characteristics and eruption initiation mechanisms, Volcanica. v. 6(2), p. 161-172.
37) Zapata, S., Jaramillo-Rios, J.S., Botello, G.E., Siachoque, A., Calderon-Día, Cardona, A., Till. C.B., Valencia, V., 2023, Miocene Paleogeography of NW Colombia: A review of the sedimentary and magmatic evolution of the Amagá Basin a century after Grosse’s work, Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. v. 47. Available here.
36) ‡Wieser, P.E., Kent, A. J., Till, C. B., 2023, Barometers behaving badly II: A critical evaluation of Cpx-only and Cpx-Liq thermobarometry in variably-hydrous arc magmas, Journal of Petrology. v. 64(8), egad050.
35) ‡Wieser, P.E., Kent, A. J., Till, C. B., Donovan, J., Neave, D. A., Blatter, D. L., & Krawczynski, M. J., 2023, Barometers Behaving Badly I: Assessing the Influence of Analytical and Experimental Uncertainty on Clinopyroxene Thermobarometry Calculations at Crustal Conditions, Journal of Petrology, v. 64(2), egac126.
34) ‡Wieser, P., Petrelli, M., Lubbers, J., Wieser, E., Ozaydin, S., Kent, A. and Till, C., 2022, Thermobar: An open-source Python3 tool for thermobarometry and hygrometry, Volcanica, v. 5(2), p. 349–384. doi: 10.30909/vol.05.02.349384.
33) Brugman, K.K., Till, C.B., Bose, M., 2022, Common assumptions and methods yield overestimated diffusive timescales, as exemplified in a Yellowstone post-caldera lava, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, v. 177(6), 63.
32) Phillips, M. Till, C. B., 2022, Crustal Storage and Magmatic Ascent Rates of the Mt. Shasta Primitive Magnesian Andesite, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, v. 177(1), p. 1-27.
31) Brugman, K.K., Phillips, M., Till, C.B., 2021, Experimental Determination of Mantle Solidi and Melt Compositions for Two Likely Rocky Exoplanet Compositions, JGR-Planets, v. 126 (7), e2020JE006731.
30) Shamloo, H., Till, C.B., Hervig, R., 2021, Multi-Mode Magnesium Diffusion in Sanidine: Application for Geospeedometry in Magmatic Systems, Geochemica et Cosmochemica Acta, v. 298, p.55-69.
29) Guild, M., Till, C.B., Mizukami, T., Wallis, S., 2020, Petrogenesis of the Higashi-Akaishi Ultramafic Body: Implications for lower crustal foundering and mantle wedge processes, Journal of Petrology, v. 61(9), p. 1-25.
28) ‡Iacovino, K., Guild, M., Till, C.B., 2020, Aqueous fluids are effective oxidizing agents of the mantle in subduction zones, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, v. 175, no. 4, p. 1-21.
27) Grove, T.L., Till, C.B., 2019, H2O-rich mantle melting near the slab-wedge interface, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, v. 174, no. 10 p. 80-102.
26) Till, C.B., Vazquez, J.A., Stelten, M., Shamloo, H., Shaffer, J., 2019, Co-existing Discrete Bodies of Rhyolite and Punctuated Volcanism Characterize Yellowstone’s Post-Lava Creek Tuff Caldera Evolution, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 20(8), p. 3861-3881.
25) Brugman, K., Till, C.B., 2019, A Low-Aluminum Clinopyroxene-Liquid Geothermometer for High-Silica Magmatic Systems, American Mineralogist, v. 104(7), p. 996-1004.
24) Shamloo, H., Till, C.B., 2019, Decadal Transition from Quiescence to Supereruption; Petrologic Investigation of the Lava Creek Tuff, Yellowstone Caldera, WY, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, v.174(32).
23) Till, C.B., Kent, A., Abers, G., Janiszewski, H., Gaherty, J., Pitcher, B., 2019, The Causes of Spatiotemoporal Variations in Erupted Fluxes and Compositions Along a Volcanic Arc, Nature Communications, v. 10 (1350), p. 1-12 (Open Access).
22) Edwards M.A., M.G. Jackson, A.R.C. Kylander-Clark, J. Harvey, G.A. Hagen-Peter, G.G.E. Seward, C.B. Till, J.V. Adams, J.M. Cottle, B.R. Hacker, F.J. Spera, 2019, Beyond EM2: extreme enriched and heterogeneous 87Sr/86Sr ratios recorded in magmatic plagioclase from the Samoan hotspot, Earth & Planetary Science Letters, v. 511, p. 190-201.
21) ‡Iacovino, K., Till, C.B., 2019, DensityX: A program for calculating the densities of hydrous magmatic liquids from 427-1627°C and up to 30 kbar, Volcanica, v. 2 (1), p. 1-10.
20) Cooper, K.M., Till, C.B., Kent, A.J.R., Costa, F., Rubin, A.E., Gravley, D., Deering, C., Cole, J., Bose, M., 2017, Response to “Cold Storage in a Heat Wave?”, Science, v. 358 (6370), p. 9145.
19) **Rubin, A.E., Cooper, K.M., Till, C.B., Kent, A.J.R., Costa, F., Gravley, D., Deering, C., Cole, J., Bose, M., 2017, Rapid cooling and cold storage in a silicic magma reservoir recorded in individual crystals, Science, v. 356 (6343), p. 1154-1156, doi:10.1126/science.aam8720.
18) Till, C.B., 2017, A Review & Update of Mantle Thermobarometry for Primitive Arc Magmas (invited paper), American Mineralogist, v. 102, p. 931-947, dx.doi.org/10.2138/am-2017-5783.
17) Till, C.B., Vazquez, J.A, Boyce, J.W., 2015, Months between rejuvenation and volcanic eruption at Yellowstone caldera, Wyoming, Geology, v.43(8), p. 695-698, doi:10.1130/G36862.1.
16) Grove, T.L., Till, C.B., 2015, Melting of the Earth's Upper Mantle, Encyclopedia of Volcanoes, Second Edition, Haraldur Sigurdsson, editor, p. 35-47.
15) Grove, T.L., Holbig, E.S., Barr, J.A., Till, C.B., Krawczynski, M.J., 2013, Melting of compositionally variable upper mantle in the garnet stability field: Distinguishing melts of lherzolite and pyroxenite source regions, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, vol. 166(3), p.887-910, doi: 10.1007/s00410-013-0899-9.
14) Till, C.B., Grove, T.L., Carlson, R.W., Donnelly-Nolan, J.M., Fouch, M.J., Wagner, L.S., Hart, W.K., 2013, Depths and Temperatures of Asthenopheric Melting and the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary in the southern Cascades Arc and Back-Arc, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1002/ggge.20070.
13) Till, C.B., Grove, T.L., Withers, T., 2012, Reply to ‘Comment on “The beginnings of hydrous mantle wedge melting” by Till et al.,’ by Stalder, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, v. 164(6), p.1073-1076, doi: 10.1007/s00410-012-0796-z.
12) Till, C.B., Grove, T.L., Withers, T., 2012, Reply to ‘Comment on “The beginnings of hydrous mantle wedge melting” by Till et al.,’ by Green, Rosethal and Kovacs, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, v. 164(6), p.1083-1085, doi: 10.1007/s00410-012-0803-z.
11) Till, C.B., Grove, T.L., and Krawczynski, M.J., 2012, A melting model for variably depleted and enriched lherzolite in the plagioclase and spinel stability fields, Journal of Geophysical Research (Solid Earth), v. 117, no. B06206, doi: 10.1029/2011JB009044.
10) Long, M.D., Till, C.B., Druken, K.A., Carlson, R.W., Wagner, L.S., Fouch, M.J., James, D.E., Grove, T.L., Schmerr, N., Kincaid, C., 2012, Mantle dynamics beneath the Pacific Northwest and the generation of voluminous back-arc volcanism, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 13(1) Q0AN01, doi: 10.1029/2012GC004189.
9) Grove, T.L., Till, C.B., Krawczynski, M.J., 2012, The Role of H2O in Subduction Zone Magmatism, Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, v. 40, p. 413-439, doi:10.1146/annurev-earth-042711-105310.
8) Till, C.B., Grove, T.L., Withers, T., 2012, The Beginnings of Hydrous Mantle Wedge Melting, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology, v. 163, p. 669-688, doi: 10.1007/s00410-011-0692-6.
7) Till, C.B., Elkins-Tanton, L.T. and Fisher, K.M., 2010, Low Extent Melts at the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 11 (10), doi:10.1029/2010GC003234.
6) Grove, T.L., Till, C.B., Lev, E., Chatterjee, N. and Medard, E., 2010, Reply to Global Systematics of Arc Volcano Position, Nature, v. 468, p. E6-E8.
5) Grove, T.L., Till, C.B., Lev, E., Chatterjee, N. and Medard, E., 2009, Kinematic variables and water transport control the formation and location of arc volcanoes; Nature, v. 459, p.694-697.
4) Till, C.B., Gans, P.B., and Spera, F.J., 2009, Perils of petrotectonic modeling: A view from southern Sonora Mexico; J. Volcanology & Geothermal Research, v. 186, p.160-168.
3) Mariner, R.H., Minor, S.A., King, A.P., Boles, J.R., Kellog, K.S., Evans, W.C., Landis, G.A., Hunt, A.G. and Till, C.B., 2008, A landslide in Tertiary marine shale with superheated fumaroles, Coast Ranges, California, Geology, v. 36(12), p.959-962.
2) Hirschmann, M.M., Ghiorso, M.S., Davis, F.A., Gordon, S.M., Mukherjee, S., Grove, T.L., Krawczyniski, M., Medard, E., and Till, C.B., 2008, Library of Experimental Phase Relations (LEPR): A database and web portal for experimental magamatic phase equilibria data, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 9, no. Q03011.
1) Spera, F.J., Bohrson, W.A., Till, C.B., and Ghiorso, M.S., 2007, Partitioning of trace elements among coexisting crystals, melt and supercritical fluid during isobaric crystallization and melting; American Mineralogist, v. 92, p.1881-1898.
Grants
- Till,Christy B*. Quantifying Geochemical Exchange at the Slab-Wedge Interface in the Higashi-Akaishi Peridotite Japan. NSF-GEO-EAR(5/1/2015 - 4/30/2018).
- Hervig,Richard Lokke*, Till,Christy B, Williams,Lynda B, Williams,Peter. Facility Support: The Arizona State University SIMS Laboratories. NSF-GEO-EAR(1/1/2015 - 12/31/2017).
- Desch,Steven*, Anbar,Ariel David, Anbar,Ariel David, Asphaug,Erik, Cadillo-Quiroz,Hinsby, Elser,James Joseph, Hartnett,Hilairy, Hartnett,Hilairy, Mcnamara,Allen Kieth, Neuer,Susanne, Patience,Jennifer Lynn, Poret-Peterson,Amisha T, Shim,Sang-Heon, Shock,Everett, Shock,Everett, Till,Christy B, Wadhwa,Meenakshi, Walker,Sara, Young,Patrick, Zolotov,Mikhail. Exoplanetary Ecosystems: Exploring Life's detectability on chemically diverse exoplanets. NASA-GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CTR(12/31/2014 - 12/30/2019).
- Till,Christy B*. CAREER: Triggering Eruptions: Determination of Pressure-Temperature-Composition-time Histories for Magma Bodies Preceding Eruption NSF EAR Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER), 2017-2021
- NSF: ASU PI: C. Till, PI’s at other institutions: L. Wagner (Carnegie), T. Becker & B. Horton (UT Austin. Collaborative Research: Consequences of flat slab subduction on the chemical, structural, and dynamic evolution of continental lithosphere: 48 months (1/2020-12/2023)
- NSF: PI: C. Till, Co-I: A. Kent (OSU), G. Abers (Cornell) Collaborative Research: Synthesizing arc-scale geochemical, petrologic, and geophysical datasets to investigate causes of volcanic diversity in the Cascades Arc: 36 months (7/2020 – 6/2023)
- NASA ICAR: PI: Steve Desch + 9 Co-I's including C. Till: Tracing Rocky Exoplanet Compositions: 60 months (9/2023-8/2028)
- NSF GLOW: PI K. Brugman (UNM) & Co-I C. Till: Exploring Effects of Rocky Exoplanet Composition on Habitability & Target Selection: 36 months (9/2025-8/2028)
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 493 | Honors Thesis |
| SES 598 | Special Topics |
| SES 792 | Research |
2025 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 592 | Research |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| GLG 424 | Petrology |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| GLG 101 | Intro to Geology I (Physical) |
| GLG 101 | Intro to Geology I (Physical) |
| GLG 103 | Introduction to Geology I: Lab |
| GLG 103 | Introduction to Geology I: Lab |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 493 | Honors Thesis |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 584 | Internship |
| SES 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| GLG 101 | Intro to Geology I (Physical) |
| GLG 101 | Intro to Geology I (Physical) |
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| GLG 103 | Introduction to Geology I: Lab |
| GLG 103 | Introduction to Geology I: Lab |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 494 | Special Topics |
| SES 598 | Special Topics |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 584 | Internship |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 599 | Thesis |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 584 | Internship |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 584 | Internship |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 599 | Thesis |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 599 | Thesis |
| SES 692 | Research |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 592 | Research |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 599 | Thesis |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SES 792 | Research |
| SES 799 | Dissertation |
| SES 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SES 592 | Research |
| SES 599 | Thesis |
| SES 692 | Research |
| SES 494 | Special Topics |
| SES 598 | Special Topics |
2024 Daly Lecture, American Geophysical Union’s VGP Section
2019 Early Career Award, Geological Society of America’s MGVP Division
2017 ASU School of Earth & Space Exploration Best Graduate Professor
2017 NSF Faculty Early Career (CAREER) grant recipient
2016 Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow, National Academy of Sciences
2012-2013 USGS Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellowship
2010 AGU Outstanding Student Paper Award (VGP)
2007-2010 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
2007 AGU Outstanding Student Paper Award, Study of the Earth’s Deep Interior
2006-2007 MIT Presidential Fellowship
2005 UCSB Geology G.K. Gilbert Award (best graduate student talk)
2005 UCSB Geology Teaching Assistant of the Year
2004 UCSB Geology Outstanding Senior in Geological Sciences
2002-2003 UCSB Vice Chancellor of Research Undergraduate Research Grant
2003 UCSB Faculty Women’s Scholarship
2002 UCSB Robert M. Norris Prize in Field Geology
2023-present Associate Editor, Contributions to Mineralogy & Petrology
2017-2020. Associate Editor, American Mineralogist
Geological Society of America • American Geophysical Union • Mineralogical Society of America • Earth Science Women’s Network • National Association of Geoscience Teachers • Geochemical Society