Jonathan Fink

Professor of Geology, PSU Digital City Testbed Centre

Jonathan Fink is Professor of Geology at Portland State University (PSU), focusing on natural hazards, climate change and urban resilience. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia, where he leads the Cascadia Working Group on Wildfire and Urban Smoke.

Before becoming PSU’s first Vice President for Research in 2010, Jonathan spent 30 years at Arizona State University (ASU) in various roles including ten years as VP for Research, where he oversaw technology transfer, the tripling of external funding, the launching of internationally recognized institutes in sustainability and biodesign, and stronger ties between academic research and regional economic development. While serving as Director of ASU’s Global Institute of Sustainability, he expanded his primary research focus from natural hazards to also include urban sustainability and “smart” technology.

Jonathan has a Ph.D. in Geology from Stanford University and a B.A. in Geology and Biology from Colby College. He is a fellow of the Geological Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is a member of the National Advisory Board of KB Home. He has previously served on advisory boards for two branches of the Smithsonian Institution and two state chapters of The Nature Conservancy.