Source Alert

USC experts available for interviews about earthquakes

February 07, 2023

Experts at USC and the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) are available to discuss the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Their expertise includes seismology, faults and public safety.

Contacts: Leigh Hopper at (310) 308-0405 or lhopper@usc.edu;  Ron Mackovich-Rodriguez at (213) 810-8583 or ronald.mackovich@usc.edu; USC media relations (213) 740-2215 or uscnews@usc.edu.

John Vidale, professor of Earth sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council and the former director of SCEC. He’s an expert in earthquake physics, forecasting and hazards.  

Contact: seismoguy@mac.com or (310) 210-2131

Christine Goulet, executive director for applied science at SCEC. She specializes in earthquake engineering. She is an expert in strong ground motion, seismic hazard and how quakes affect structures.

Contact: cgoulet@usc.edu or (213) 821-3904

Sylvain Barbot, assistant professor of Earth sciences at the USC Dornsife College. He is an expert in geophysics (how chunks of earth move), in particular why and how earthquakes happen. He also studies earth movement from space using satellites. He knows a lot about how to stay safe during quakes and aftershocks.

Contact: sbarbot@usc.edu or c-(323) 352-4889

Mihailo Trifunac, professor of civil and environmental engineering at USC Viterbi School of Engineering. He’s an expert in natural disasters, engineering seismology and soil-structure interactions.

Contact: trifunac@usc.edu or (213) 740-0570

Patrick Lynett, professor of engineering in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. He’s an expert in quakes, ocean wave propigation and impacts to harbors and coastal infrastructure.

Contact: plynett@usc.edu or (213) 740-3133 or c-(979) 571-0540

Adam Rose, research professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy and coordinator for the Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE). He is an expert in the economics of disasters, including earthquakes. He’s the lead economist on the U.S. Geological Survey disaster scenarios, including the Great California Shake Out, and lead researcher for a report to Congress on the net benefits of the Federal Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation grants.

Contact: adamzros@price.usc.edu or c-(814) 777-6789

Tom Jordan, professor of earth sciences at USC Dornsife College off Letters, Arts and Sciences. He’s an expert in earthquake forecasting, processes and seismology. 

Contact: tjordan@usc.edu or (213) 821-1237

Josh West, assistant professor, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He’s an expert in landslides, erosion and geological natural hazards. 

Contact: joshwest@usc.edu or (213) 740-6736