Colin is the Mineral Resources Program Coordinator. Colin was previously the Director of the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. Before that he led the Geothermal Resource Studies Project, which assessed the geothermal resources of the US and conducted research on geothermal systems.

Colin's primary research interest is in understanding the flow of heat and fluids through the Earth's crust and using those measurements to understand hydrothermal processes, mineral deposits, earthquakes, and groundwater flow. He joined the USGS after earning a PhD and MPhil in Geological Sciences from Columbia University, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, and a BS in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College.