Professor Zheng-Xiang Li
(FL150100133)
Current Organisation
Administering Organisation
Primary research field
Strategic Research Priority area
Curtin University
Curtin University
Tectonics
Lifting productivity and economic growth
Image credit:
Curtin University
Fellowship project summary:
How the Earth works—toward building a new tectonic paradigm
This fellowship project aims to build on the latest technological and conceptual advances to establish
the patterns of Earth evolution, and use this information to examine a ground-breaking geodynamic
hypothesis which links cyclic plate aggregation and dispersion to deep Earth processes. Half a century
after the inception of plate tectonics theory, we are still unsure how the Earth ‘engine’ works,
particularly the forces that drive plate tectonics. The project involves extensive national and
international collaboration to potentially create a paradigm shift in our understanding of global
tectonics, and hopes to contribute to an understanding of the formation and distribution of Earth
resources to provide a conceptual framework for their exploration.
About Professor Li
Professor Li’s research interests are mainly in regional to global tectonics and paleogeography,
paleomagnetism, and geodynamics. He is also interested in the relationships between major tectonic
events, large mineralisation systems and major environmental/climate changes.
Professor Li received his Bachelor of Science in seismological geology from Peking University in
1982, and a PhD on palaeomagnetism and tectonics from Macquarie University in 1989. After joining
The University of Western Australia (UWA) in 1990, he established the UWA Palaeomagnetism
Laboratory (now the WA Palaeomagnetic and Rock-magnetic Facility), laying the foundation for the
later establishment of the Tectonics Special Research Centre (TSRC, 1997–2006) where he served as
Deputy Director.
Professor Li joined Curtin University in 2007. He was a Co-Leader of the successful IGCP project no.
440: Rodinia Assembly and Break-up, and is currently a Co-Leader of IGCP project no. 648:
Supercontinent Cycles and Global Geodynamics. He is also a Co-Director of the Australia-China Joint
Research Centre for Tectonics and Earth Resources, and a key member of The Institute for Geoscience
Research and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems.
Find out more about Professor Li and his research by visiting his profile page on the Curtin University
website.
For further information about this funding scheme please visit the Australian Laureate Fellowships
scheme page on the ARC website.