Josef Dufek, Department of Earth Sciences

Picture of Josef Dufek

Josef Dufek

Gwen and Charles Lillis Chair
Director, Center for Volcanology
Faculty Associate, Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact
Practice Areas: Volcanology, Fluid Dynamics, Granular and Turbulent Flows, Planetary Interiors and Surface Processes

Dufek Multiphase Flow Group 

Josef Dufek is an academic expert in volcanology, multiphase fluid dynamics, granular and turbulent flows, and planetary interiors and surface processes. He studies physical processes in planetary interiors, volcanic eruption dynamics, and multiphase flows that shape the landscape. The Dufek Lab is primarily focused on the application of fluid dynamics to understand mass and energy transfer in geological processes, with particular emphasis on volcanic systems. One of the Dufek Lab’s research goals is to delineate how multiphase interactions contribute to the structure and composition of planetary interiors, and the role of such interactions in determining the dynamics and deposit architecture of volcanic flows using computational, experimental and field studies.

Recent Media:
As Iceland waits for volcano’s eruption, here’s what to know for now (The New York Times, Nov. 14, 2023)
How a mighty volcanic eruption sent enormous pressure waves all around Earth (Mashable, Jan. 22, 2022)
Martian dust storms may spark electric purple glow (Live Science, Feb. 24, 2021)
Mars rovers safe from lightning strikes, new UO research finds (Around the O, Feb. 19, 2021)
UO professor investigates one of Oregon’s top volcanic threats (Around the O, Feb. 4, 2021)
Our Volcanic Footprint (Around the O)