Director of the Massachusetts Geological Survey
A broadly trained geologist and avid naturalist, Dr. Brian Yellen is thrilled to serve as the Massachusetts State Geologist. Yellen specializes in earth surface processes, coastal processes, and hydrology. He brings varied professional experience to the Massachusetts Geological Survey, including work in the private sector groundwater cleanup industry, teaching high school physical science, and academic research. Since 2012, he has taught professional development workshops to licensed environmental consultants, teaching skills in hydrogeology and geomorphology. Research highlights from Yellen’s recent work include assessments of dam removals and sediment transport, coastal change and blue carbon, and fluvial erosion due to extreme floods. Climate change adaptation is a common theme in Yellen’s work, and reflects his past role directing a graduate fellowship program focused on developing stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills surrounding climate adaptation. Yellen received his bachelors from Brown University, a masters in education from the University of Hawaii Manoa, and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has been a faculty member and graduate student advisor in the department of Earth, Geographic, and Climate Sciences at UMass Amherst since 2017.
