Reducing Disaster Risks

Becoming part of Stanford's new school focused on climate and sustainability in Fall 2022

Understanding threats and reducing risks to human wellbeing

Thousands of lives and billions of dollars have been lost in recent natural disasters such as the 2010 Haiti and 2015 Nepal earthquakes and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Not to mention the hurricanes that struck Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Geohazards have shaped and reshaped the planet for millennia. Now climate change is adding to the threats, even as urban centers are expanding and more people are living in vulnerable locations.

We study Earth processes—what causes them and how to predict where and when they will happen—but we also seek to reduce the risks to human wellbeing, especially in increasingly populated and vulnerable cities worldwide. Our expertise in both subsurface-originating hazards and the surface changes brought about by shifts in climate and land use provides a unique vantage point from which to analyze a new breed of potential hazards and risks.

Jenny Suckale

Assistant Professor of Geophysics

Simon Klemperer

Professor of Geophysics

Tiziana Vanorio

Assistant Professor of Geophysics

Greg Beroza

Professor of Geophysics

Eric Dunham

Associate Professor of Geophysics

Howard Zebker

Professor of Geophysics and Electrical Engineering

Paul Segall

Professor of Geophysics

See all faculty

Earthquakes and Volcanoes

Foundations of Contemporary Geophysics

Reflection Seismology

Disasters, Decisions, Development in Sustainable Urban Systems

Physical Volcanology

Earthquake Seismology, Deformation, and Stress

Predicting Volcanic Eruptions

Man vs Nature: Coping with Disasters Using Space Technlogy

Crustal Deformation and Fault Mechanics

Earthquake Seismology

Crustal Geophysics

Stanford Center for Induced and Triggered Seismicity

Rock Physics Lab

A "billion sensors" earthquake observatory with optical fibers

The same optical fibers that deliver high-speed internet and HD video to our homes could one day double as seismic sensors for monitoring and studying earthquakes.

New tool to reduce risk of triggering manmade earthquakes

A new software tool can help reduce the risk of manmade earthquakes by calculating the probability that oil and gas injection activities will trigger slip in nearby faults.

News related to Reducing Disaster Risks

Trees on the move: How wildfire accelerates forest changes

As climate conditions change, tree species are shifting their ranges. Wildfire is accelerating this process, likely by reducing competition from established species – a finding that raises questions about how to manage land in an era of shifting ecosystems.

Map labeled with damaged and undamaged buildings

AI system identifies buildings damaged by wildfire

A deep learning approach to classifying buildings with wildfire damage may help responders focus their recovery efforts and offer more immediate information to displaced residents.

Scientists solve mystery of supercell storms' icy plumes

The most devastating tornadoes are often preceded by a cloudy plume of ice and water vapor billowing above a severe thunderstorm. New research reveals the mechanism for these plumes could be tied to “hydraulic jumps” – a phenomenon Leonardo Da Vinci observed more than 500 years ago.

How do people respond to wildfire smoke?

Interviews with Northern California residents reveal that social norms and social support are essential for understanding protective health behaviors during wildfire smoke events – information that could be leveraged to improve public health outcomes.

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