Connecting Earthquake Science to the Community
When a series of earthquakes struck the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles County, California in early 2015, local residents were concerned that the use of hydraulic fracturing and other drilling activities in the nearby oil field might have played a role in triggering the quakes.
In response, the community worked with the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and the Thriving Earth Exchange to identify an academic expert in earthquakes and their relationship to oil drilling. Jean-Paul (Pablo) Ampuero, Ph.D., an assistant professor of seismology at the California Institute of Technology who studies the physics of earthquakes, turned out to be a perfect scientific partner for the community. Dr. Ampuero, who is originally from Peru, was particularly interested in helping the community because of its large Hispanic population.
The resulting partnership not only helped to inform residents and calm their fears, but also formed a lasting relationship that continues to deliver the latest seismology research to the community.