Joaquin Ruiz

Joaquin Ruiz received his B.S. in Geology and B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Miami. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Michigan. Ruiz served as Assistant Professor at the University of Miami from 1982 to 1983 before joining the University of Arizona Geosciences Department in 1983 as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1989 and to Full Professor in 1993. He served as head of the Department of Geosciences from 1995 to 2000. Due to his success as an administrator, Ruiz was appointed Dean of the College of Science in 2000, Executive Dean of the Colleges of Letters, Arts and Science in 2009, and Vice President for Innovation in 2013. Prof. Ruiz also served as President of the Geological Society of America from 2010-2011. He recently became the inaugural Vice President of Global Environmental Futures at The University of Arizona.  

Ruiz’s research focuses on the use of radiogenic and heavy stable isotopes to study the evolution of the crust and mantle through time, the genesis of ore deposits, paleogeography, and environmental and archeological problems. His UArizona research and education portfolio includes Biosphere 2, where he is the Director and Thomas R. Brown Chair, and the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill.