Mike Coffin

Mike (Millard Filmore) Coffin is an American oceanographer who was born in 1955 in Maine. His research expertise encompasses massive volcanism on the seafloor, environmental effects of massive volcanism, plate tectonics, and rifted continental margins.

Educated at Dartmouth College (AB) and Columbia University (MA, MPhil, PhD), he has pursued an international career in oceanography.

Following university studies, he worked at Geoscience Australia (1985-1989), the University of Texas at Austin (1990-2001), the University of Tokyo (2001-2007), the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (2002-2003), the UK’s University of Southampton and National Oceanography Centre (2007-2010), and the University of Tasmania (2011–present).

Professor Coffin has led or participated in 36 research expeditions at sea, focusing mainly in the Southern, Pacific, and Indian oceans.