In Memoriam: Louise H. Kellogg, 1959-2019

Louise Kellogg, a professor in the department of earth and planetary sciences at the University of California, Davis, died on April 15, 2019. She was 59 years old.

Dr. Kellogg first came to the University of California, Davis in 1990, joining what was then the geology department in the College of Letters and Science. She served as department chair from 2000 to 2008, and later filled in twice as interim chair from 2013 to 2014 and 2016 to 2017. Additionally, Dr. Kellogg served as the director of the Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics, a founding member of the Cooperative Institute for Dynamic Earth Research, and was involved with the Deep Carbon Observatory. She was also a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

As a researcher, Dr. Kellogg worked on a planetary scale, developing 3D modeling tools to visualize the flows within Earth’s mantle that shape our planet and its environment. She contributed significantly to our understanding of Earth’s interior, both through her research and as a leader in numerous multidisciplinary collaborations. She also served as a mentor to her students and an advocate for women in STEM.

“Louise was a great scientist, a broad thinker capable of translating her insights to new fields, a kind and wise mentor, and a tireless advocate for diversity in the sciences,” said Mike Oskin, professor and chair of the department of earth and planetary sciences. “She was a pioneer and a compassionate leader.”

Dr. Kellogg earned four degrees from Cornell University in New York: dual bachelor’s degrees in engineering physics and philosophy, a master’s degree in engineering geology and geophysics, and a Ph.D. in geological sciences.