Editorial Team & Staff

Principal Editors

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Tom Sisson

Petrology
(2024–2026)

U.S. Geological Survey

California Volcano Observatory

P.O. Box 158

Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
E-mail: tsisson@usgs.gov

Carol Frost

Carol Frost

Geochemistry
(2025–2027)

 

Department of Geology and Geophysics
1000 E. University Ave.
Laramie, WY 82071-2000

E-mail: frost@uwyo.edu

 
Penelope King

Penelope King

Mineralogy
(2026–2028)

Research School for Earth Sciences
The Australian National University
154 University Avenue
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
E-mail: penny.king@anu.edu.au

 

Outgoing Principal Editor

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Sumit Chakraborty

Mineralogy
(2023–2025)

 

Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie und Geophysik

Ruhr Universität Bochum

48801 Bochum, Germany
E-mail: Sumit.Chakraborty@ruhr-uni-bochum.de

Executive Editor

Esther Posner

Bayerisches Geoinstitut
Universität Bayreuth
95440 Bayreuth, Germany
E-mail: editor@elementsmagazine.org

 

Graphic Artist

Michel Guay

Pouliot Guay Graphistes Inc.
Quebec, Canada
Phone: +1 (418) 836-3110 (UTC-5)

E-mail: pouliotguay@videotron.ca

Webmaster

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Faisal Razaq

Software Engineer
Punjab, Pakistan
E-mail: support@elementsmagazine.org

Past Executive Editors

Pierrette Tremblay

(2004–2014)
Quebec, Canada
E-mail: pierrettetremblay51@gmail.com

Jodi J. Rosso

(2015–2022)
Washington State University Tri-Cities
2701 Crimson Way, TFLO 263
Richland, WA 99354-1671, USA
E-mail: jrosso.elements@gmail.com

Past Principal Editors

Janne Blichert-Toft

Geochemistry
(2022–2024)

CNRS

Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon

CNRS UMR 5276
École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
46, Allée d’Italie
69364 Lyon Cedex 7, France

E-mail: jblicher@ens-lyon.fr

 

Rebecca (Becky) A. Lange

Petrology
(2021–2023)

 

University of Michigan
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
1100 North University
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1005, USA
E-mail: becky@umich.edu

 

Richard J. Harrison

Mineralogy
(2020–2022)

 

University of Cambridge
Department of Earth Sciences
Madingley Road
Cambridge, CB3 0EZ, UK
E-mail: rjh40@esc.cam.ac.uk

John M. Eiler

Geochemistry

(2019–2021)

Caltech
Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
1200 E California Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91125
E-mail:

eiler@gps.caltech.edu

Jonathan D. Blundy

Petrology

(2018–2020)

University of Oxford
Department of Earth Sciences
South Parks Road
Oxford, OX1 3AN, UK
E-mail:

jonathan.blundy@earth.ox.ac.uk

Nancy L. Ross

Mineralogy
(2017–2019)
Virginia Tech
E-mail: nross@vt.edu

Friedhelm von Blanckenburg

Geochemistry

(2016–2018)
GFZ-Potsdam
E-mail: fvb@gfz-potsdam.de

Bernard J. Wood

Petrology

(2015–2017)
University of Oxford
E-mail: bernie.wood@earth.ox.ac.uk

Gordon E. Brown Jr.

Mineralogy

(2014–2016)
Stanford University
E-mail: gordon.brown@stanford.edu

Patricia M. Dove

Geochemistry

(2013–2015)
Virginia Tech
E-mail: pdove@vt.edu

John W. Valley

Petrology
(2012–2014)
University of Wisconsin
E-mail: valley@geology.wisc.edu

Georges Calas

Mineralogy
(2011–2013)
Université Pierre et Marie Curie
E-mail: 

georges.calas@impmc.jussieu.fr

James I. (Tim) Drever

Geochemistry
(2010–2012)
University of Wyoming
E-mail: drever@uwyo.edu

Harry Y. (Hap) McSween

Petrology
(2009–2011)
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
E-mail: mcsween@utk.edu

David J. Vaughan

Mineralogy
(2008–2010)
The University of Manchester
E-mail: 

david.vaughan@manchester.ac.uk

Susan S.L. Stipp

Geochemistry
(2007–2009)
University of Copenhagen
E-mail: stipp@nano.ku.dk

Bruce Watson

Petrology
(2006–2008)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
E-mail: watsoe@rpi.edu

Ian Parsons

(2005–2007) Founding Editor
The University of Edinburgh,
E-mail: ian.parsons@ed.ac.uk

Michael F. Hochella Jr.

(2005–2006) Founding Editor
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
E-mail:  hochella@vt.edu

Rodney C. Ewing

(2005) Founding Editor
Stanford University
E-mail: rewing1@stanford.edu

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December 2025 --The Variscan Orogeny in Europe – Understanding Supercontinent Formation

The Variscan orogen formed between 380 and 300 million years ago through several accretionary and collisional cycles, culminating with the construction of the Pangea supercontinent. This process occurred via sequential opening and closure of oceanic basins, synchronous detachment of Gondwana derived continental ribbons, and their outboard amalgamation onto the Laurussia margin. The Variscan orogen is rather unique compared with other orogenic belts on Earth: its overthickened and dominantly magmatic crust in the central belt, surprisingly minor mantle involvement in the magmatic and geodynamic processes, coherent and pulsed magmatism along the collision suture, and its complex accretionary history. Because its final product, Pangea, is the youngest and best-understood supercontinent on Earth, the Variscan orogeny offers clues for understanding the mechanisms of supercontinent formation.