SCEC research
Leading the Way in Earthquake Science
For more than 30 years, the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) and the Department of Earth Sciences have been a powerhouse for Earthquake Science at USC. The Great ShakeOut, the largest disaster drill in U.S. history, originated at USC and is coordinated on a global scale by SCEC. Professor of Earth Sciences and Director of SCEC, Yehuda Ben-Zion, recently announced the transformation of SCEC to a Statewide Center supported by NSF, USGS, and other partners. Our faculty, students, and other earthquake professionals participate in a range of projects in California’s natural laboratory to improve the predictability and understanding of earthquake system models and their uncertainties.