Prof. Liran Goren is charting the Earth’s surface—and beyond

When Prof. Liran Goren completed her undergraduate studies in geology and computer science, she could not have imagined her career's winding path—from investigating the Earth's deep, hidden layers to focusing on the dynamic processes shaping the very surface we walk on.

Considering its pivotal role in humanity’s existence, not many of us pay much attention to the very ground we tread - that is, until it inevitably draws our attention with one of its many phenomena. But whether it’s the destructive might of earthquakes or the breathtaking views of the mountains and deserts, Prof. Goren is working to uncover the many secrets of the Earth's surface.

After completing her master’s and PhD at the Weizmann Institute of Science and a three-year postdoctoral fellowship in Zurich, she returned to where it all began—Ben-Gurion University of the Negev—where she’s been a leading voice in earth science research for the past decade.

“I research the development and dynamics of the Earth's surface. It’s not what I always did," says Prof. Goren, now settled into her role as a Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences professor. "Throughout my career, I moved from studying the deeper Earth, gradually working my way up until I reached the surface.”

This “climbing through the layers” has proven to be more than a metaphor for her academic journey—today, Goren’s research delves into everything from landslides and earthquakes to river patterns and tectonic forces, exploring the forces that shape the world’s landscape.

At the cutting edge of earth sciences, it’s easy to see why Prof. Goren’s research has drawn attention. She and her students are deciphering the complex processes that create, mold, and transform the Earth’s surface by focusing on landscape evolution and the reorganization of drainage networks.

"I love solving equations," Goren says with a smile, reflecting on her dual computer science and geology background. "Formulating geological problems as mathematical equations, solving them, and then seeing what the solution predicts about the behavior of the system—that’s what excites me."

Her lab tackles our planet’s most explosive and abrupt processes, as well as its most subtle. When observing the shortest time scale, Prof. Goren studies events like landslides triggered by earthquakes. “ I investigate how the ground responds to the shaking of a single earthquake, which can last between a few seconds and several minutes. How do the mechanical properties of the soil change?

How do these earthquakes cause landslides down steep slopes?” she asks, noting the instability that can arise even in stable areas. “A slope might look solid, supporting houses and trees, but an earthquake can suddenly cause it to break apart and drag everything with it.”

On a much longer time scale, Prof. Goren’s research looks at how topography shifts over hundreds of thousands, or even millions of years, under tectonic forces. These slow processes—often just as significant as quick, dramatic events—lead to long-term landscape evolution.

For Goren, tectonics is more than just the movement of the Earth’s plates; it's about understanding how this movement creates differences in topography that, in turn, guide rivers and carve valleys. “The forces driving the rise and fall of landscapes also lead to the formation of rivers. For example, tectonics influences the way rivers incise into the landscape and shape its overall form,” she explains.

While Goren is a theorist at heart, her lab work is far from restricted to solving equations. Over the years, she’s built a multidisciplinary research approach that draws on a combination of analytical models, fieldwork, and laboratory experiments. This hybrid model evolved naturally, shaped mainly by her interactions with students—many of whom were eager to go beyond the confines of a computer lab.

"I've always loved the theoretical side—sitting with equations. But many of my students wanted to be more hands-on, so we added fieldwork and lab experiments,” she says. The students, it turns out, have become essential partners in her research. "A lot of them are brilliant in the field, with a natural intuition for what they’re seeing, and I’ve learned so much from them." 

Her team has recently expanded its focus to include laboratory work, compressing geological time into observable, manageable time frames. By combining these real-world observations with computer simulations and mathematical modeling, Prof. Goren’s lab attempts to offer the most comprehensive view possible of the Earth's dynamic processes.

When reflecting on the challenges in her research, Goren is no stranger to the frustrations of probing uncharted territory. “When you’re asking questions no one has asked before, sometimes you get stuck,” she admits. Often, unexpected results appear, requiring her to rethink her original hypotheses. "It’s exciting and frustrating all at once," she laughs. "There’s a certain comfort when the data fits the theory. But the really interesting discoveries happen when you expect one thing and find something completely different."

One of the most challenging aspects of her work is capturing long-term geological processes in a world where we only see snapshots of the Earth’s surface at any given moment. “In the field, we see a static picture—how the surface looks today. But what led us to this point?” Goren asks. To answer this, her lab uses models to recreate ancient processes and analyze how they’ve shaped landscapes over time.

Prof. Goren’s work isn’t just changing how we understand Earth—it also provides clues to how other planets may have evolved. An unexpected breakthrough in her research came when studying Nahal Peratzim, a river near the Dead Sea. Goren and her team noticed that its drainage system formed right-angle tributaries, an unusual occurrence typically not seen in nature. “It was strange," she recalls. "Rivers don’t usually flow in perfect 90-degree angles.”

After a significant amount of investigation, the team discovered that the river’s unique pattern was connected to the presence of underground caves in the region, including the famous Flour Cave. But that wasn’t the end of the story. “The same pattern exists on Mars!” Goren says, excitement growing in her voice.

The discovery suggested that similar subterranean processes might be at play on the Red Planet. “It’s possible that the same mechanisms influencing Nahal Peratzim are shaping Martian landscapes, which could mean there are caves on Mars, too."

While she’s cautious about jumping to conclusions, the implications are vast. If these formations on Mars behave similarly to Earth’s drainage networks, it could change our understanding of Martian geology and provide clues about the planet’s potential to harbor life in the past. 

Prof. Liran Goren’s work beautifully illustrates the complexity of earth sciences, where questions about tectonics, climate, and surface processes reshape our understanding of our planet and extend to other worlds. Through analytical models, field observations, and innovative laboratory work, she and her students are not just revealing the past—they’re opening new pathways to understanding the future of landscape evolution, both on Earth and beyond. 

While the work comes with challenges, Prof. Goren embraces them. “The frustrations, the surprises—they’re all part of the excitement,” she says. Whether unraveling the secrets of the Negev or peering into the mysteries of Mars, Prof. Goren and her team remain at the forefront of an ever-evolving field.