My Research:
My name is Jason Ott, and I am a postdoctoral associate specializing in rock and mineral physics and structural petrology in the Rock Deformation Lab at Rice University in Houston, Texas. I am interested in the deformation mechanisms and metamorphic reactions that control the strength, and flow behavior (or rheology) of the lithosphere—the outermost shell of the Earth.
My research investigates the fundamental mechanics of shear zones—the narrow, high-strain regions acting as the primary agents of deformation within the Earth's crust. From the brittle faults of the San Andreas to deep-crustal flow in orogenic belts, I analyze how these zones accommodate tectonic plate movement at both plate boundaries and within continents. A central focus of my work is the brittle-ductile transition (BDT), a zone within the Earth where rocks shift from brittle faulting to ductile flowing behavior with increasing depth. The BDT typically marks the maximum depth at which large earthquakes can nucleate, so understanding how the rheology of the lithosphere evolves across this boundary gives essential insights into the scale and frequency of these geological hazards.
By pairing 'forensic' micro-scale analysis of naturally deformed rocks with high-pressure/high-temperature laboratory experiments, I explore how mineralogy and metamorphic reactions govern the strength and flow behavior of the Earth's crust. This integrated approach allows me to bridge the gap between microscopic (grain-scale) processes and large-scale dynamics of plate boundaries—helping to uncover how the faulting and flow behavior of rocks in the lithosphere ultimately drives the hazards, such as megathrust earthquakes, we experience at the surface.
News:
Friday, November 21, 2025:
Today, I successfully defended my PhD dissertation: Subduction Zone Blues: Laboratory and Field Constraints on the Rheology and Deformation Mechanisms of Mafic Blueschist at the Subduction Interface. I am grateful for the support of everyone along this exciting journey, especially my advisor Cailey Condit, and the members of my PhD committee including: J. Michael Brown, Rachel Bernard, Harold Tobin, George Bergantz, and William Wilcock. Thanks to Matej Pec, who was an instrumental mentor in experimental rock physics and a close collaborator throughout my PhD, and also to all the faculty and the graduate student committee at the UW who have supported me through the last 5 years. Finally, this never would have happened without the support and love of my wife, Jamie Ott, who encouraged me to take the risk to return to school to pursue a career that was meaningful to me! Next up, a postdoc position at Rice University-more exciting science to come!