Dr. Thomas Casadevall has been appointed Deputy Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. Upon the completion of Mark Schaefer’s tenure as Acting Director, Dr. Casadevall also became Acting Director of the Survey. Dr. Casadevall earned his B.A. degree in geology from Beloit College (1969), his M.A. (1974) and Ph.D. (1976) degrees in geology and geochemistry, respectively, from Pennsylvania State University.
After serving one year as a USGS-National Research Council postdoctoral research associate and one year as an adjunct professor at the Escuela Politecnica Nacional in Quito, Ecuador teaching geochemistry and volcanology, Tom joined the USGS as staff geochemist in 1978.

His career with the USGS has included assignments at the Hawaii, Cascades, and Alaska Volcano observatories, and in the USGS-Volcanological Survey of Indonesia cooperative program. He has served as project chief for studies of geology and mineral deposits of the western San Juan Mountain, Colorado; and as Assistant Chief, Branch of Volcano and Geothermal Processes. Tom Casadevall is recognized worldwide as a leading authority on volcanic hazards and aviation safety, and served as an integral member of the USGS strategic planning committee.

Since April of 1996, Tom has served as USGS Regional Director, Western Region. He has written more than 90 technical publications in his areas of expertise.