Dr. Susan Schwartz: Biography

Dr. Susan Schwartz received a B.S. in geophysics from Brown University, an MS in paleomagnetism and a Ph.D. in seismology from the University of Michigan. After graduation in 1988, she was awarded a University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellowship that brought her to the University of California, Santa Cruz.   After being there for only one year, the 1989 Loma Prieta (M=6.9) earthquake occurred thrusting Dr. Schwartz into field seismology using the newest, state-of-the-art PASSCAL portable seismic instrumentation. Following this experience, Dr. Schwartz lead several field experiments including aftershock studies of the 1991 Costa Rica earthquake (M=7.7) and the 1992 Petrolia, California earthquake (M=7.0), as well as investigations of plate boundary and volcanic processes along the San Andreas Fault, near the Mendocino Triple Junction, at Arenal Volcano and most recently above the seismogenic zone in central and northern Costa Rica. She is presently a Professor of Earth Sciences and Director of the Center for the Study of Imaging and Dynamics of the Earth at UC Santa Cruz. She teaches introductory classes for non-science majors, classes designed for undergraduate Earth Science majors, and graduate classes in seismology and geophysics.