Science in the Neighborhood: The earthquake problem

Science In the Neighborhood
A public lecture series hosted quarterly by the UC Santa Cruz Science Division

The earthquake problem
Presentation by Emily Brodsky, Professor, UC Santa Cruz
Q&A with Stefano Profumo, Associate Dean of Science, UC Santa Cruz

Earthquake prediction has simultaneously remained both the central, unsolved problem in seismology and the issue that communities care about most—especially here in Northern California. Earth & Planetary Sciences Professor Emily Brodsky will discuss what we do and do not know about when earthquakes will happen. She will explain what we understand about the basic mechanics of faults and how drilling into faults has transformed our understanding of how earthquakes happen. Her talk will also explore how the machine learning revolution is powering a transformation in forecasting aftershocks, as well as look ahead toward the kind of instrumentation and approaches that offer the most promise for the next big advances.

The event is in-person only. Registration link coming soon.

Friday, June 5, 2026 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Coastal Biology Building. Rm. 110
UC Santa Cruz Coastal Campus
130 McAllister Way
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

The screenshot below shows where to find the entrance of the Coastal Biology Building.