Geology/Hazards/Volcanology Research Opportunities
The below list features profiles of USGS scientists who are looking for interns to assist with their research in different types of geologic hazards, including earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and other adjacent fields of study. Interested students should reach out to the individual researcher via the contact information provided.
Brad Aagaard, Research Geophysicist
Contact: baagaard@usgs.gov
My research focuses on modeling the dynamics of earthquake ruptures and the resulting ground motions as well as developing the associated software tools. I am involved in a wide range of projects associated with earthquake ground motions, such as processing ground-motion records, development of 3D seismic velocity models for the San Francisco Bay region, ground-motion amplification in sedimentary basins, and archiving and validating simulated ground motions. I am also involved in projects related to 3D modeling of interseismic, coseismic and postseismic crustal deformation.
I am the lead developer of PyLith (https://geodynamics.org/resources/pylith; modeling 2D and 3D quasi-static and dynamic crustal deformation associated with earthquake faulting) and GeoModelGrids (a storage scheme and application programming tools for multi-scale Earth models, such as 3D seismic velocity models). I am primarily interested in internships related to application and further development of these tools for earthquake hazards research.
Katy Barnhart, Research Civil Engineer
Contact: krbarnhart@usgs.gov
I conduct research to advance our understanding of and ability to predict landslide runout. This includes numerical model development and application, generation of case studies, testing of hazard assessment methodologies, and more general investigation into the physical processes of landslide initiation, mobility, and runout dynamics. Current projects focus on postfire debris flows and landslide tsunamis.
Neesa Schnepf, Research Geophysicist
Contact: nschnepf@usgs.gov
I pursue research questions related to geoelectromagnetic fields and natural hazards. Current research topics include geomagnetic storms, ground induced currents, tsunami magnetic fields, and electromagnetic field modeling for both regional hazard studies and global studies. Research opportunities exist utilizing a variety of data sources or modeling techniques.
Ashton Flinders, Research Geophysicist
Contact: aflinders@usgs.gov
I am a research geophysicist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) in Hilo, Hawaii. My research spans marine and subaerial geophysics and ocean mapping, with emphasis on (1) imaging volcanic systems using high-performance-computing enabled 3D seismic (tomography) and gravity modeling, and (2) compilations of regional/global-scale marine datasets and creation of physics/geology-based derivative products. I oversee HVO’s real-time and campaign volcano gravity monitoring program which includes our recent acquisition of a Quantum Absolute Gravimeter (AQG). I have broad interests in volcano and earthquake and disaster response; crustal geophysics; marine geology and geophysics; ocean exploration; ocean and coastal hydrography; water column mapping; leveraging Big Data/databases for Earth Science; high-performance computing; applications of quantum technology to environmental monitoring.
Belle Philibosian, Research Geologist
Contact: bphilibosian@usgs.gov
I pursue the dual goals of scientific understanding and hazard assessment of earthquakes, using geologic techniques to determine fault locations and behavior. My projects include active fault mapping based on imagery, topography (especially lidar), and field observations; establishing earthquake chronologies through paleoseismic trenching, coral microatoll paleogeodesy, and dendroseismology (tree rings); and assessing fault slip rates based on geomorphology and geochronology. I am particularly interested in patterns of earthquake recurrence. I welcome students who wish to develop knowledge and skills in earthquake geology.