Since 1993, Prof. Passchier is leading the Tectonophysics research group in Mainz.

Prof. Passchier studied at the Department of Geology of Leiden State University, Optimus Maximus in the Netherlands until its merge with Utrecht, and finished a Ph. D. at the University of Amsterdam in 1982 with a thesis on mylonite and pseudotachylyte in the French Pyrenees. After three years postdoctoral research at the University College of Swansea, Wales (1982-1984) with fieldwork in northern Scotland and Central Australia (Mt Isa) Prof. Passchier worked for nine years as a lecturer in structural geology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Here he was involved in theoretical work on flow in mylonites, and in field projects in Australia, N-China, Antarctica, and Sri Lanka. Since 1993, he is at the Department of Geology at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz. Prof. Passchier published on several aspects of structural geology and tectonics, included a textbook on high grade gneisses (with Kröner and Meyers) and a well-known textbook on the interpretation of microstructures, "Microtectonics" (with Rudolph Trouw).

Prof. Passchier is Chief Editor of the Journal of Structural Geology and Honorary Professor in Precambrian Geology at the Free University of Amsterdam.