Dorrik StowGeologist · Oceanographer

Underwater canyon with light shafts

Research

The big unanswered questions in science.

My current research aims to tackle some of the big unanswered questions in science — the abiogenic origin of life and its place in the universe, and the existence of an unknown deep earth rhythm. I continue to explore the deep oceans, contourites and turbidites.

Professor Dorrik Stow with his research team on a coastal outcrop in Okinawa, southern Japan

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Current Research

Field team, Okinawa

Some projects I’m working on at present:

· Heartbeat of the Earth
· The abiogenic origin of Life
· Contourites and bottom currents off Japan
· New Zealand continental margin

Featured documents

Heartbeat of the EarthArticle — unknown deep-earth rhythmDOCX Ryukyu contourite sand sheetPaperPDF Kuroshio Current off TaiwanAbstractPDF Great South Basin, New ZealandPaperPDF

Professor Dorrik Stow giving a keynote on contourite sands at the Marine System Science conference, Sun Yat-sen University

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Talks & Conferences

Keynote, Sun Yat-sen University

Some conferences, keynotes and talks:

· 4th Deepwater Circulation 4DWC — convened
· Istanbul, Zhuhai, Busan — keynote talks
· Van Tuyl Lecture, Colorado School of Mines
· Next presentation at 5DWC, Bremen

Featured documents

4DWC — Programme Volume4th Deepwater Circulation ConferencePDF 4DWC — Abstract Volume4th Deepwater Circulation ConferencePDF Recent Plenary Talk — Istanbul MEDGUKeynoteDOCX 5DWC presentation — abstractBremen, September 2026 (file to be added)DOCX

Researchers in front of a striking patterned rock face during a field project in Borneo

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Prizes, Projects & PhDs

Fieldwork in Borneo, PhD students

New and old:

· Queen’s Anniversary Prize
· Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellowship
· Research projects — modern, ancient, subsurface
· 50 PhD students supervised

Featured documents

Queen’s Anniversary PrizePresentation — 2016 awardPPTX Past Research ProjectsModern, ancient and subsurface systemsPDF PhD students supervised — full list50 PhDs, 1982–2025PDF Colourful snapshotsPuzzles, problems and stunning imagesPDF

Featured collection

Puzzles, Problems and Stunning Images

Short illustrated pieces from field projects around the world — unusual structures, slope processes, giant bedforms and bottom-current spillovers.

IRAN — Unusual StructuresField notes & imageryPDF BORNEO — Slope ProcessesField notes & imageryPDF PNG — Mega-furrowsField notes & imageryPDF KUROSHIO — Current SpilloverField notes & imageryPDF

Research PDFs in the Library Discuss a research collaboration