Function and Responsibilities:

• Head of Geodynamic Modelling Section
• Professor at the University of Potsdam
• PI of ERC Consolidator Project EMERGE
• Coordinator of MSCA Doctoral Network TALENTS
• Member of the Expert Panel of the NFDI
• GFZ Representative and Strategy Team Member of Geo.X
• Initiator and co-organiser of the Rift and Rifted Margin Seminar Series 

Research Interests:

My general scientific interests comprise lithosphere dynamics, natural hazards, plate tectonics, climate and their intricate links. In particular, I focus on the interactions between rift tectonics, mantle dynamics, and surface processes to understand CO2 degassing, magma pathways, and the formation of georesources like natural hydrogen or sediment-hosted ore deposits. In terms of methodology, I use a diverse set of modelling tools and integrate observations from structural geology, geophysical imaging, geochemistry, rheology, and plate reconstructions.

A list of more detailed research topics and representative papers is shown below.

Continental rifts

• Brune, S., Kolawole, F., Olive, J.-A., Stamps, D. S., Buck, W. R., Buiter, S. J. H., et al. (2023). Geodynamics of continental rift initiation and evolution. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00391-3 
• Glerum, A., Brune, S., Stamps, D. S., & Strecker, M. R. (2020). Victoria continental microplate dynamics controlled by the lithospheric strength distribution of the East African Rift. Nature Communications, 11(1), 2881. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16176-x 

Global plate tectonics

• Brune, S., Williams, S. E., Butterworth, N. P., & Müller, R. D. (2016). Abrupt plate accelerations shape rifted continental margins. Nature, 536(7615), 201–204. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature18319
• Brune, S., Williams, S. E., & Müller, R. D. (2018). Oblique rifting: the rule, not the exception. Solid Earth, 9(5), 1187–1206. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-9-1187-2018

Geodynamics of georesource formation

• Zwaan, F., Brune, S., Glerum, A. C., Vasey, D. A., Naliboff, J. B., Manatschal, G., & Gaucher, E. C. (2025). Rift-inversion orogens are potential hot spots for natural H2 generation. Science Advances, 11(8), eadr3418. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr3418 
• Glerum, A. C., Brune, S., Magnall, J. M., Weis, P., & Gleeson, S. A. (2024). Geodynamic controls on clastic-dominated base metal deposits. Solid Earth, 15(8), 921–944. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-921-2024

CO₂ degassing and long-term climate change

• Brune, S., Williams, S. E., & Müller, R. D. (2017). Potential links between continental rifting, CO2 degassing and climate change through time. Nature Geoscience, 10(12), 941–946. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-017-0003-6 
• Wong, K., Mason, E., Brune, S., East, M., Edmonds, M., & Zahirovic, S. (2019). Deep Carbon Cycling Over the Past 200 Million Years: A Review of Fluxes in Different Tectonic Settings. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00263 

Interaction of tectonics and surface processes

• Yuan, X., Li, Y., Brune, S., Li, K., Pons, M., & Wolf, S. G. (2024). Coordination between deformation, precipitation, and erosion during orogenic growth. Nature Communications, 15(1), 10362. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54690-4 (Link to Paper)
• Neuharth, D., Brune, S., Wrona, T., Glerum, A., Braun, J., & Yuan, X. (2022). Evolution of Rift Systems and Their Fault Networks in Response to Surface Processes. Tectonics, 41(3), e2021TC007166. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021TC007166 

Surface expressions of mantle dynamics

• Gernon, T. M., Jones, S. M., Brune, S., Hincks, T. K., Palmer, M. R., Schumacher, J. C., et al. (2023). Rift-induced disruption of cratonic keels drives kimberlite volcanism. Nature, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06193-3 
• Ulvrova, M. M., Brune, S., & Williams, S. (2019). Breakup Without Borders: How Continents Speed Up and Slow Down During Rifting. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(3), 1338–1347. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080387 

Career:

Since 2023: Professor at University of Potsdam

Since 2019: Head of Geodynamic Modelling Section (GFZ Potsdam)

2019: Privatdozent (University of Potsdam)

2019: Habilitation in Geosciences (University of Potsdam)

2016 - 2021: Helmholtz Young Investigators Group Leader (GFZ Potsdam)

2013 - 2016: Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow (2013-2015: EarthByte Group, Sydney, Australia; 2015-2016: Geodynamic Modelling Section, GFZ Potsdam)

2009 - 2013: PostDoc, Geodynamic Modelling Section (GFZ Potsdam)

2007 - 2007: Visiting scientist, Hydrodynamic Modelling Group (Texas A&M University, USA)

2006 - 2009: PhD candidate, Geodynamic Modelling Section (GFZ Potsdam)

1999 - 2006: Student of Physics, Diploma thesis in Biophysics, Humboldt University, Berlin (2002-2003: Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse, France)

Projects: