The Executive Committee of the Corporation has granted tenure to Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) Professor Matěj Peč. Richard Teague has been promoted to Associate Professor. They go into effect July 1, 2026.
Matěj Peč is a geologist studying the fundamental forces behind plate tectonics. His lab researches melting in the Earth’s mantle and lower crust and how rocks fail under different conditions by conducting high-pressure, high-temperature experiments in the lab and comparing results against natural observations and theoretical models. In addition, they are exploring carbon mineralization and storage as ways to mitigate climate change. Recent work includes understanding how rock permeability and porosity changes under fluid injection to help determine the impacts of carbon sequestration methods, and quantifying the complete energy budget of “lab quakes”. He joined the MIT faculty in 2017.
Kerr-McGee Career Development Professor of Planetary Science Richard Teague is an observational astronomer studying planetary formation through initial conditions and protoplanetary disks, as well as early planetary life and the formation of their atmospheres. He uses observations from telescopes such as the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Atacama Large (sub-)Millimeter Array (ALMA) to detect and characterize planets during their formation, inventory the materials being used to build planetary systems, and map the physical and chemical structures needed for formation. Recent work includes understanding how magnetic fields drive planetary disk formation and collecting the most sensitive and detailed observations of protoplanetary disks to date. He joined the MIT faculty in 2022.
