Professor of Geophysics and Department Head
Geosciences Department
Colorado State University
| 2014 - Present | Professor of Geophysics and Department Head | Colorado State University |
| 2011 - 2012 | Associate Chair, Department of Earth and Environmental Science | New Mexico Tech |
| 2008 - 2011 | Chair, Department of Earth and Environmental Science | New Mexico Tech |
| 2000 - 2013 | Professor of Geophysics | New Mexico Tech |
| 1996 - 2000 | Associate Professor of Geophysics | New Mexico Tech |
| 1991 - 1996 | Assistant Professor of Geophysics | New Mexico Tech |
| 1991 | Postgraduate Research Geophysicist | Scripps Institution of Oceanography |
| 1987 - 1991 | Research Assistant | Scripps Institution of Oceanography |
| 1985 - 1987 | Research Assistant | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 1984 - 1985 | Research Fellow | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 1991 | Ph.D, Earth Sciences | Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California-San Diego |
| 1986 | M.S., Geophysics | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 1983 | B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering (with additional major completed in Physics); Graduation with high honors and distinction | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 2019 - Present | IRIS Board of Directors | |
| 2018 - 2019 | IRIS Earthscope Transportable Array Coordinating Committee Chair | |
| 2006 - 2018 | Polar Networks Science Committee; Chair (2015-2016) | |
| 2015 | Future Geophysical Facilities Required to Address Grand Challenges in the Earth Sciences Co-Editor | |
| 2012 - 2014 | IRIS Data Management System Standing Committee Chair | |
| 2008 - 2009 | Seismological Grand Challenges in Understanding Earth's Dynamic Systems Co-Chair | |
| 2002 - 2005 | Education and Public Outreach Standing Committee Chair | |
| 1998 - 2013 | Principal Investigator, New Mexico Tech IRIS PASSCAL Instrument Center and EarthScope USArray Array Operations Facility |
| 2018 | Textbook Author, Aster, R., Borchers, B., Thurber, C., Paramater Estimation and Inverse Problems, Third Edition (in press) | |
| 2017 - 2020 | Southern California Earthquake Center Advisory Council Member | |
| 2009 - 2010 | Seismological Society of America, President | |
| 2008 - 2014 | Seismological Society of America, Board Member; Liaison to American Geosciences Institute | |
| 2008 - Present | Seismological Society of America, Government Relations Committee Member |
I have research and educational interests in earthquake, volcano, and cryosphere seismology, as well as in geophysical imaging and other inverse problems. My students and I have worked extensively with data from the GSN and with portable instrumentation and data from PASSCAL and have done our share to exercise the spectacular resources of the DMC. I also serving to expand PASSCAL and EarthScope operations in the creation of the Instrument Center at NM Tech. I strive to assist in the promotion and advancement of seismology with the public, funding agencies, undergraduate students, university administrators, policy makers, and other audiences, and was one of the early chairs of Education and Public Outreach standing committee when that program was in its formative period. IRIS today continues to support and nurture an outstanding and historic community for seismology; (academic) generations of seismologists in the U.S. and globally have strongly benefitted from the investments and partnerships of NSF, DOE, DOD, USGS, and other agencies, and from IRIS’s many positive influences, including its persistent and effective evangelism for open data.
I believe that it is critical that the IRIS leadership continue to diligently and effectively advocate for seismology with these varied audiences, as well as advance win-win partnerships with other communities. Less appreciated, perhaps, is that IRIS has also cultivated strong leadership and other professional skills amongst its membership through its broad community engagement and service activities. I strongly wish to see that early career and other mentorship efforts continue to be a strong element of IRIS in the future. I’d be honored to serve on the IRIS Board of Directors to advance IRIS as a strong state-of-the-art, highly responsive, and community-building facility for seismology and the wider world.
