Our Group

We offer a unique perspective for monitoring and modeling the Earth's deformation as manifested by earthquakes, volcanism, glacier dynamics and tsunamis.

The faculty and research scientists who comprise the Seismology and Geodesy research group pursue research around the globe, while remaining directly connected to seismic and geodetic measurements of Alaska's dynamic tectonics. We study earthquakes in the solid Earth and glaciers, crustal and mantle structure, active tectonics and deformation of the Earth. The Alaska Earthquake Information Center, located on site, is in charge of monitoring earthquakes in mainland Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. Center personnel educate residents about earthquakes throughout Alaska the most seismically active state in the nation. As part of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation program, AEIC informs Alaska communities on the risks of tsunamis and provides inundation mapping for many of Alaska's coastal communities.

Many faculty and staff from the group are affiliated with the Alaska Volcano Observatory, which is responsible for understanding and monitoring volcanic activity across the North Pacific.

We collaborate with the following groups at UAF:

Faculty

Douglas Christensen
Professor of Geophysics
Associate Director of Geophysical Institute
doug [at] giseis [dot] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7426
Elvey 413C

Jeffrey Freymueller
Professor of Geophysics
jeff [at] giseis [dot] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7286
Elvey 413B

Roger Hansen
Professor of Geophysics
State Seismologist
roger [at] giseis [dot] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-5533
Elvey 301J

Steve McNutt
Director of Alaska Volcano Observatory
Research Professor of Geophysics
steve [at] giseis [dot] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7131

Carl Tape
Assistant Professor of Geophysics
carltape [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-5456
Elvey 413D

Michael West
Research Assistant Professor of Geophysics
mewest [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-6977
Elvey 413D

Nirendra Biswas
Professor Emeritus
nnbiswas [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7373
Evley 410A

Staff

Natalia Ruppert
Seismologist
natasha [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7472
Elvey 301K

John Sandru
Seismic Technician
jmsandruiv [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-1151
Elvey 301D

Joshua Stachnik
Data Manager
jcstachnik [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-1830
Elvey 301B

Elena Suleimani
Research Analyst
ensuleimani [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7997
Elvey 301C

Glenn Thompson
Research Seismologist
gthompson [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7424
Elvey 307A

Elizabeth Veenstra
Seismologist
liz [at] giseis [dot] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7460
Elvey 301A

Steven Estes
Senior Project Engineer
sestes [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7425
Elvey 301F

Sharon Hansen
Field Technician
Alaska Earthquake Information Center
sepitiss [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-5481
Elvey 301H

Max Kaufman
Research Assistant
amkaufman [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-6574
Elvey 413A

Natalia Kozyreva
Research Scholar
nkozyreva [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-6873
Elvey 301L

John Peters
Manager
High Latitude Monitoring Station (HLMS)
jwpeters [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-552-4531
Radar Bldg Elmendorf AFB

Mitchell Robinson
Senior System Analyst
mrrobinson [at] alaska [dot] edu
907-474-7440
Elvey 301G

Students and Postdocs

Last	First	Contact	Email	Research
Bartholomaus	Timothy	(907) 474-5751	tbartholomaus [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] eduGlacier seismology
Bellesiles	Anna		akbellesiles [at] alaska [dot] edu	Shear-wave splitting beneath Alaska
	Bruton, Christopher	(907) 474-5517 Elvey 308	cpbruton [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu	Automated seismic event classification
Buurman	Helena	(907) 474-7309 Elvey 307	helena [at] giseis [dot] alaska [dot] edu	Volcano source seismology
Christensen	Branden		bchris40 [at] alaska [dot] edu	Volcanic earthquake swarms
DeRoin	Nicole	(907) 474-5517 Elvey 307	nderoin [at] alaska [dot] edu	Rockfalls at Augustine volcano
Elliott	Julie	(907) 474-7428 Elvey 413A	julie [at] giseis [dot] alaska [dot] edu	Deformation in the St. Elias Range, southern Alaska
Fu	Yuning	(907) 474-5997 Elvey 413	yuning [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu	Vertical motion of the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas
	Gardine, Matt		mgardine1 [at] usf [dot] edu	Volcano structure and magmatic processes
George	Ophelia	(907) 474-5517 Elvey 307	ogeorge [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu	Deep long-period seismicity
Grapenthin	Ronni	(907) 474-1896 Elvey 410	hmarijke [at] gmail [dot] com	Crustal deformation, volcano geodesy
Miller	Summer	(907) 474-5997 Elvey 413	summer [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu	Volcano deformation at Okmok using InSAR
Peterson	Chloe			Nonvolcanic tremor in Alaska
Reyes	Celso	(907) 474-5517 Elvey 307	celso [at] giseis [dot] alaska [dot] edu	Volcanic tremor at Okmok volcano
Veenstra	Elizabeth		liz [dot] veenstra [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu	Crustal structure and Moho variations in central Alaska

This includes students who have graduated within the last 2 years. Photos are for current students and degree and graduation date are for recent graduates where provided.

Ophelia George
Deep long-period seismicity
(907) 474-5517
Elvey 307

Ronni Grapenthin
Crustal deformation, volcano geodesy
hmarijke [at] gmail [dot] com
(907) 474-5997
Elvey 413

Celso Reyes
Volcanic tremor at Okmok volcano
celso [at] gieis [dot] alaska [dot] edu
(907) 474-5517
Elvey 307

Elizabeth Veenstra
Crustal structure and Moho variations in central Alaska
liz [dot] veenstra [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu