Larry Syu-Heng Lai

Austin, TX · 30.27°N 97.74°W

Larry Syu-Heng Lai

Quantitative geoscientist | Sedimentologist | PhD

I am a geoscientist with over a decade of experience in clastic sedimentology, stratigraphy, and geomorphology. Focusing on deep-water and fluvial systems, I integrate field and subsurface geological observations with machine learning, process-based modeling, and automated data engineering to solve complex real-world problems. Off the clock, I enjoy hiking, basketball, tennis, and skiing/snowboarding.

Expertises

01 / 09

Sedimentology and stratigraphy

Origin, transport, and deposition of sediments, and their patterns through time and space.

A person photographing a cliff of thin, repeating sedimentary beds.
02 / 09

Sedimentary basin analysis

How sedimentary basins and near-surface crust develop, the basis for reading geologic history.

A road cut through tilted, layered sedimentary rock on a dry hillside.
03 / 09

Tectonic geomorphology

How surface processes, climate, and tectonics shape landscapes, from field observation and numerical models.

A deep mountain gorge with a braided river between steep, forested walls.
04 / 09

Field mapping and observation

Mapping and direct observation supply the field constraints that tie an interpretation to the rocks and land in front of you.

A field sketch mapping lava flows, intrusions, dikes, and possible faults on a mountainside.
05 / 09

Rock paleomagnetism

Magnetic minerals in rock and sediment can preserve magnetic archives of field direction and grain alignment.

A person drilling an oriented sample from layered rock at an outcrop.
06 / 09

Calcareous nannofossil

These tiny marine fossils are biostratigraphic markers that help place sedimentary layers in time.

Microscope view of many tiny bright calcareous nannofossils on a dark field.
07 / 09

Topographic analysis

Elevation models yield DEM metrics such as slope, relief, and the pattern of the drainage network.

Block diagram of a mountain front with mapped channels, terraces, and underlying formations.
08 / 09

Landscape evolution modeling

Landlab-style landscape simulation follows how hillslopes and rivers reshape topography over time.

09 / 09

Source-to-sink forward stratigraphic modeling

goSPL-style source-to-sink modeling tracks sediment from eroding uplands into the basin fill.

Contact

Get in touch

A skydiver above a lake, a town, and snowy mountains.