USC.edu

John Vidale

Dean's Professor of Earth Sciences
John Vidale
Pronouns He / Him / His Email seismoguy@mac.com Office Phone (310) 210-2131

Research & Practice Areas

Basic and applied research into earthquakes, Earth structure, and geophysical hazard mitigation.

Biography

Prof. Vidale’s research focuses on earthquakes, Earth structure, volcanoes, and the hazards of strong shaking.  His work has elements of numerical modeling, basic science, and earthquake hazard mitigation.

He has been since 2017 a Professor at USC and was director of the Southern California Earthquake Center from 2017 to 2018. From 2006 until 2017, he was Director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, the Washington State Seismologist, and minor Facebook doyen. From 2002 until 2006 at UCLA, he was acting then interim director of the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics.

He served on the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council (NEPEC) 2007-2017 and the Earthquake Early Warning External Working Group 2018-now.

Education

  • Ph.D. Seismology, Caltech, 12/1986
  • B.Sc. Physics and Geology, Yale, 6/1981

  • Tenure Track Appointments

    • Professor, USC, 08/2017 –
    • Professor, University of Washington, 09/2006 – 08/2017
    • Associate, then Full Professor, UCLA, 09/1996 – 09/2006

    Research, Teaching, Practice, and Clinical Appointments

    • Researcher, United States Geological Survey, 1990-09-1996-09
    • Researcher, UC Santa Cruz, 1987-01-1990-09

    PostDoctoral Appointments

    • Post-doc, Caltech, 10/1986 – 01/1987

  • Research Specialties

    Basic and applied research into earthquakes, Earth structure, and geophysical hazard mitigation.

    • Dornsife natural science communicator of the year, 2022-2023
    • USC Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Recognition Award, 2021-2022
    • Dornsife Dean’s Professor, 2017-2018
    • National Academy Member, Fall 2017
    • IRIS/SSA Distinguished Lectureship, 2016-2017
    • Gallagher Colloquium Lecturer, University of Calgary, Spring 2017
    • Outstanding Researcher, UW College of the Environment, Spring 2011
    • Gutenberg Lecturer at AGU Fall Meeting, Fall 2009
    • Gilbert Fellow of USGS, Fall 1995
    • American Geophysical Union Fellow, Fall 1994
    • Centennial Lecturer, University of Tulsa, Fall 1994
    • Macelwane Medal of the AGU, Fall 1994
    • National Science Foundation Fellow, 09/1982 – 09/1985
    • Gutenburg Fellow, Caltech, 1981-1982
    • Won NM State HS math contest, jr and sr years, 01/1976 – 01/1977
    • Won junior marksmanship ribbon at Camp Susquehanna, 08/1972
    • Broome County Junior Deputy Sheriff, 04/1971
    • Won chess tournament in Ms Bartelotti’s 6th-grade class, 01/1971
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