Professor
(Ph.D. University of New Mexico, 1987)
 Department Head, Geosciences


Research Interests:
Structural Geology
Metamorphic Petrology
Precambrian Geology
Mike Williams earned a B.A. in geology from Amherst College, an M.S. from the University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico. He has been a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts since 1987 and now serves as Head of the Department of Geosciences. Mike's research is focused at the cross-roads of ductile structural geology, metamorphic petrology, igneous petrology, and tectonics. Much of his research has involved Precambrian rocks (southwestern U.S.A. or northern Canada) but he has been increasingly involved with rocks of western New England. Mike is particularly interested in finding better ways to "read" the P-T-t-D (i.e. Pressure-Temperature-time-Deformation) paths from deformed and metamorphosed rocks, and interpreting the paths in terms of the tectonic history that produced them. He loves field work but also loves working with the electron microprobe and computer models.
Students Research Teaching Publications Structure and Tectonics Research Group MLW - Home Petrology Research Group Microprobe Facility Students