Dr. Anne Wein is a principle investigator with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in the Western Geographic Science Center, Moffett Field, California.
Her collaborative research activities translate natural hazard information and data into societal consequences to help inform decision-making and policy discussions. She has coordinated the analyses of economic impacts for USGS scenarios in California: the 2008 ShakeOut earthquake, 2011 ARkStorm winter storm, and 2013 SAFRR Tsunami. Currently, she co-leads the Bay Area HayWired earthquake sequence scenario. Also, she investigates the communication of aftershock information and forecasts during the 2010-2012 Canterbury, New Zealand earthquake sequence with GNS Science.
Anne works at the interfaces of disciplines (e.g., between engineering and economics), between theory and practice, using quantitative and qualitative methods. She received a Success Story award for advancing the goals of the USGS Science Strategy through the development and execution of the ShakeOut Scenario and Exercise.
Education and Certifications
Stanford University, Ph.D. Decision Sciences, June 1988
Stanford University, M.S. Operations Research, June 1985
University of Canterbury, New Zealand, B.S.Hons, Operations Research, May 1983
Christchurch Primary Teachers College, New Zealand, 1978-7
Honors and Awards
Recognition for leadership on the HayWired scenario by Metropolitan Transportation Commission/Assocation of Bay Area Governments, 2019
Recognition for leadership in USGS Strategic Science Planning, 2012
USGS Pacific Southwest Science Strategy Success Story, 2009
Best Scientific Paper, USGS Geography Discipline, 2009
Science and Products
HayWired - Earthquake Hazards
Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication scientists coauthored several chapters in the Earthquake hazards volume of the HayWired earthquake scenario.
HayWired - Engineering implications
Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication scientists coauthored several chapters in the Earthquake hazards volume of the HayWired earthquake scenario.
HayWired
The HayWired scenario examines a hypothetical earthquake (mainshock) with a moment magnitude of 7.0 occurring on April 18, 2018, at 4:18 p.m. on the Hayward Fault in the east bay part of California’s San Francisco Bay area. Most economic, cultural, and personal elements of society have grown entwined with the Internet since the last time California experienced a large urban earthquake. What will...
HayWired Scenario
The HayWired scenario depicts a scientifically realistic earthquake sequence, and its cascading impacts, that all starts with a magnitude 7 earthquake on the Hayward Fault. The scenario emphasizes connectedness: multi-hazards of an earthquake, interactions between critical infrastructure systems, and compounded effects in communities and economies.
Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication
The Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication project is led by Anne Wein at the Western Geographic Science Center (WGSC).The umbrella project is Science Application for Risk Reduction (SAFRR), which estimates consequences of natural hazard disaster scenarios as a strategy to engage decision-makers in increasing a community’s ability to cope with the effects of a disaster. Scenarios for...
Aftershock Forecast Communication for Risk Reduction
Studies of the communication of aftershock information during the Canterbury, New Zealand earthquake sequence conducted by Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication team members and collaborators in New Zealand are examining the use of risk communication products, risk communication strategies, and risk-based decision-making. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with a range of...
SAFRR Tsunami Scenario
The third SAFRR scenario is initiated by a magnitude 9.0 megathrust earthquake in the eastern Aleutian Islands, an event presenting a hypothetical but plausible distant-tsunami threat to southern and central California. USGS and other federal and state agencies entities developed the SAFRR Tsunami Scenario. The scenario describes wave heights, current velocities and inundation for the coast of...
ARkStorm
The SAFRR project’s second scenario, called ARkStorm, addresses massive U.S. West Coast storms analogous to those that devastated California in 1861–62. Storms of this magnitude are projected to become more frequent and intense as a result of climate change. The SAFRR project assembled experts from scientific research agencies to design the large, but scientifically plausible, hypothetical storm...
Serious Games for Science
Serious or pedagogical games are an engaging way to educate decisionmakers and stakeholders about environmental challenges that are usefully informed by natural and social scientific information and knowledge. USGS designed two serious games intended to promote interactive learning and exploration in the face of large uncertainties, divergent values, and complex situations. Delta Skelta is a game...
ShakeOut
The ShakeOut Scenario was located in southern California where earthquake risk is high compared to the rest of the country. This scenario is a hypothetical, but plausible 7.8 magnitude earthquake on the southern San Andreas Fault. This scenario was completed in May 2008. The ShakeOut Scenario is described in two publications: The Scenario (Jones and others) and The Narrative (Perry and others)...
Science and Products
- Science
HayWired - Earthquake Hazards
Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication scientists coauthored several chapters in the Earthquake hazards volume of the HayWired earthquake scenario.HayWired - Engineering implications
Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication scientists coauthored several chapters in the Earthquake hazards volume of the HayWired earthquake scenario.HayWired
The HayWired scenario examines a hypothetical earthquake (mainshock) with a moment magnitude of 7.0 occurring on April 18, 2018, at 4:18 p.m. on the Hayward Fault in the east bay part of California’s San Francisco Bay area. Most economic, cultural, and personal elements of society have grown entwined with the Internet since the last time California experienced a large urban earthquake. What will...HayWired Scenario
The HayWired scenario depicts a scientifically realistic earthquake sequence, and its cascading impacts, that all starts with a magnitude 7 earthquake on the Hayward Fault. The scenario emphasizes connectedness: multi-hazards of an earthquake, interactions between critical infrastructure systems, and compounded effects in communities and economies.Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication
The Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication project is led by Anne Wein at the Western Geographic Science Center (WGSC).The umbrella project is Science Application for Risk Reduction (SAFRR), which estimates consequences of natural hazard disaster scenarios as a strategy to engage decision-makers in increasing a community’s ability to cope with the effects of a disaster. Scenarios for...Aftershock Forecast Communication for Risk Reduction
Studies of the communication of aftershock information during the Canterbury, New Zealand earthquake sequence conducted by Hazards Societal Consequences and Risk Communication team members and collaborators in New Zealand are examining the use of risk communication products, risk communication strategies, and risk-based decision-making. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with a range of...SAFRR Tsunami Scenario
The third SAFRR scenario is initiated by a magnitude 9.0 megathrust earthquake in the eastern Aleutian Islands, an event presenting a hypothetical but plausible distant-tsunami threat to southern and central California. USGS and other federal and state agencies entities developed the SAFRR Tsunami Scenario. The scenario describes wave heights, current velocities and inundation for the coast of...ARkStorm
The SAFRR project’s second scenario, called ARkStorm, addresses massive U.S. West Coast storms analogous to those that devastated California in 1861–62. Storms of this magnitude are projected to become more frequent and intense as a result of climate change. The SAFRR project assembled experts from scientific research agencies to design the large, but scientifically plausible, hypothetical storm...Serious Games for Science
Serious or pedagogical games are an engaging way to educate decisionmakers and stakeholders about environmental challenges that are usefully informed by natural and social scientific information and knowledge. USGS designed two serious games intended to promote interactive learning and exploration in the face of large uncertainties, divergent values, and complex situations. Delta Skelta is a game...ShakeOut
The ShakeOut Scenario was located in southern California where earthquake risk is high compared to the rest of the country. This scenario is a hypothetical, but plausible 7.8 magnitude earthquake on the southern San Andreas Fault. This scenario was completed in May 2008. The ShakeOut Scenario is described in two publications: The Scenario (Jones and others) and The Narrative (Perry and others)... - Data
- Multimedia
- Publications
- Web Tools
- News