Download my full CV here.
Education
- 10/2018 - 07/2022 Ph.D. Computational Geodynamics at University of Mainz, Germany
- 10/2015 - 04/2018 M.Sc. Geoscience at University of Mainz, Germany
- 10/2012 - 03/2016 B.Sc. Geosceince at University of Mainz, Germany
Work experience
- 09/2025 - 10/2025 3-week research stay at ETH Zürich, Switzerland
- 10/2022 - present Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Bayreuth, Germany
- Code development and execution
- Thermal runaway as a driver of deep earthquakes
- Scaling laws for the occurence and intensity of thermal runaway
- Supervision of two Ph.D. students
- 08/2022 - 09/2022 Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Mainz, Germany
- Code execution
- Geodynamic models of magmatic intrusion
- 10/2018 - 07/2022 Ph.D. Student at University of Mainz, Germany
- Code execution
- Geodynamic models of magmatic system dynamics
- Data-driven inversion for subsurface processes
- Parameterizing complex 3D geometries
- 04/2018 - 09/2018 Research Assistant at University of Mainz, Germany
- Code execution
- Geodynamic models of folding
- 04/2012 - 09/2013 Rubel & Partner, Wörrstadt, Germany
- Geotechnical field work
- Internship and minor job later on
Supervision
- Tatjana Weiler, PhD thesis
- 12/2023 - present
- “Modelling of deep earthquake generation in the Hindu Kush”
- Co-supervisor
- Danielle Silva Souza, PhD thesis
- 12/2023 - present
- “Experimental investigation of Antigorite dehydration reactions under deformation”
- Mentor
- Hao Liu, PhD thesis
- 10/2023 - present
- “Geodynamic modelling of the Changbai magmatic system”
- External advisor
- Muhammad Ilham Hamadi, Master thesis
- 04/2024 - 10/2024
- “Postseismic relaxation due to thermally activated ductile deformation”
- Main supervisor
- Zornitsa Kunchova, Master thesis
- 06/2022 - 05/2023
- “Modelling of magmatic systems underneath the Klyuchevskoy group of volcanoes, Kamchatka”
- Co-supervisor
- Elisabeth Walter, Bachelor thesis
- 10/2021 - 02/2022
- “Geophysical Modelling of Magma Induced Uplift at Campi Flegrei, Italy”
- Co-supervisor
Skills
- Languages
- English, C2
- German, native speaker
- Programming
- Julia (daily for 4 years)
- Matlab (daily for 5 years)
- Python (weekly for 2.5 years)
- C/C++, Bash (occasionally for 7 years)
- Open-source software development
- DEDLoc (Julia)
- 1D and 2D GPU-compatible thermomechanical code
- Developed from scratch
- LaMEM (C)
- Highly-parallelized CPU thermomechanical code
- Added several features to the existing software
- geomIO (Matlab)
- Software for the creation of 3D geometries from vector-graphics drawings
- Added the possibility to automatically create variations for the volumes
- GeophysicalModelGenerator (Julia)
- Software to jointly visualize and analyze different geophyiscal data sets
- Added a few features such as forward modeling of gravity anomalies
Publications
Spang, A., Thielmann, M., Pranger, C., de Montserrat, A., & Räss, L. (2026). "Overcoming the numerical challenges owing to rapid ductile localization with DEDLoc (version 1.0.0)." Geoscientific Model Development. 19, 369–388, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-369-2026, 2026
Spang, A., Thielmann, M., de Montserrat, A., & Duretz, T. (2025). "Transient Propagation of Ductile Ruptures by Thermal Runaway." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 130, e2025JB031240. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JB031240
Paul, J., Spang, A., & Piccolo, A. (2025). "Hydration weakening and destruction of the North China Craton." Tectonophysics. 230756. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2025.230756
Kaus, B.J.P., Thielmann, M., Aellig, P., de Montserrat, A., de Siena, L., Frasunkiewicz, J., Fuchs, L., Piccolo, P., Ranocha, H., Riel, N., Schuler, C., Spang, A., & Weiler, T. (2024). "GeophysicalModelGenerator.jl: A Julia package to visualise geoscientific data and create numerical model setups." Journal of Open Source Software. 9(103), 6763. https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.06763
Spang, A., Thielmann, M., & Kiss, D. (2024). "Rapid Ductile Strain Localization Due To Thermal Runaway." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 129, e2024JB028846. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JB028846
Kiss, D., Moulas, E., Kaus, B.J.P, & Spang. (2023). "Decompression and Fracturing Caused by Magmatically Induced Thermal Stresses." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 128, e2022JB025341. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JB025341
Spang, A., Baumann, T.S., & Kaus, B.J.P. (2022). "Geodynamic Modeling With Uncertain Initial Geometries." Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 23, e2021GC010265. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GC010265
Spang, A., Burton, M., Kaus, B.J.P., & Sigmundsson, F. (2022). "Quantification of Volcano Deformation Caused by Volatile Accumulation and Release." Geophysical Research Letters. 49, e2021GL097502. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL097502
Spang, A., Baumann, T.S., & Kaus, B.J.P. (2021). "A Multiphysics Approach to Constrain the Dynamics of the Altiplano-Puna Magmatic System." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 126, e2021JB021725. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JB021725
Teaching
Invited talks and seminars
March 05, 2026
Group seminar at University of Leeds, United Kingdom
December 04, 2025
Group seminar at University of Bonn, Germany
October 08, 2025
Group seminar at ETH Zürich, Switzerland
September 11, 2025
Invited conference talk at Geomod Lisbon, Portugal
June 04, 2025
Seminar talk at TSK Seminar, Online
April 17, 2024
Invited conference talk at EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
March 01, 2022
Group seminar at ETH Zürich, Switzerland
February 01, 2022
Interview presentation/ Institute seminar at University of Bayreuth, Germany
January 01, 2022
Interview presentation at University of Lausanne, Switzerland
August 01, 2021
Interview presentation at GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany
February 01, 2016
Conference contributions at various places,