Earth Sciences

EARTH SCIENCES - The earthquake geology workforce is depleted, limiting data collection and slowing progress in our understanding of the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Cores to Code addresses this gap by training the next generation of paleoseismologists through immersive, hands-on experiences. But through CRESCENT's Cor to Code program, students from around the US are getting a thorough scientific experience.

EARTH SCIENCES - An analysis of the Columbia River Gorge, which runs along the border between Oregon and Washington, shows that steep, rocky watersheds in that area have been prone to debris flows and rockfall for thousands of years. Those events didn’t measurably increase after the Eagle Creek Fire, which scorched 47,000 acres of the gorge over three months in 2017. CAS Earth scientist Josh Roering and members of his lab published their findings Aug. 8 in Science Advances.

EARTH SCIENCES - Deposited in 2022 when the underwater Hunga volcano spewed a 37-mile plume into the atmosphere—the biggest eruption seen in the modern satellite era—the seafloor ash provided a unique opportunity to study the impact of sediment movement on deep-sea life. Marcus Chaknova, then a marine biology and geology major, discovered ash from the volcano, which will shape scientific research for years to come.

Eight faculty members have been selected to win this year’s Distinguished Teaching Awards, which recognize exceptional teaching at the University of Oregon. The 2024-25 recipients are Lana Lopesi, Adell Amos, Mohsen Manesh, Marli Miller, Damian Radcliffe, Corinne Bayerl, Amanda Wojick and Naoko Nakadate.

EARTH SCIENCES - Whether she’s scaling 150-foot towers or testifying before legislators, Sydney Whiting is helping to revolutionize wildfire and earthquake detection in Oregon. As a field technician for the Oregon Hazards Lab (OHAZ), the alumna installs and maintains the seismic sensors, network infrastructure and cameras that provide real-time hazard monitoring throughout the state, giving firefighters and communities a crucial tool when responding to wildfires and earthquakes.

COMPUTER SCIENCE, EARTH SCIENCES, GEOGRAPHY - The world can be hazardous: seismic activity that shakes the earth, rising sea levels and volcanic eruptions that reshape the landscape. Meet some of the CAS scientists who are studying the most powerful forces that threaten humanity.

EARTH SCIENCES - Any moment, the "Big One" could hit the Pacific Northwest. It's been more than 300 years since the last 9.0+ Cascadia earthquake. At the University of Oregon, researchers are working from many angles to make sure people across the region are as prepared as possible.

EARTH SCIENCES - Oregon’s Cascade Range mountains might not hold gold, but they store another precious resource in abundance: water. Scientists from the University of Oregon and their partners have mapped the amount of water stored beneath volcanic rocks at the crest of the central Oregon Cascades and found an aquifer many times larger than previously estimated — at least 81 cubic kilometers.