My research interests surround earthquake nucleation and seismic hazard. During my DPhil, I hope to investigate earthquake determinism and its impact on hazard mititigation particularly Earthquake Early Warning Systems.

Overview of DPhil work

I’m interested in the mechanics of earthquakes, and particularly at what stage the final magnitude of an earthquake is distinguishable. This idea, called earthquake determinism, is controversial, with some people thinking that the earthquake ‘knows’ its magnitude within the first few seconds of rupture, and others saying that rupture needs to be complete. To think about this problem, I’m using information we can glean from seismograms of earthquakes all around the world. I then want to think about what implications earthquake determinism (or non-determinsm) has for our understanding of how earthquakes happen.

Extended Work from Undergraduate

  • Masters Project (October 2019 - May 2020)
    • I used foreshock-aftershock ratios found from Phase Coherence to examine to what extent external processes are involved in Earthquake Nucleation.
    • Supervised by Prof. Jessica Hawthorne
    • Publication forthcoming
  • 3rd Year Extended Essay (January 2019 – April 2019)
    • Wrote a 4000-word, review style essay entitled: Earthquake Early Warning Systems: are they the panacea they are billed as?
    • Conducted entirely independently
  • 3rd year Independent Research Project (June 2018 - August 2018)
    • A six-week independent project investigating polygonal faults of the Vøring Basin, and the effect of these faults on the Opal-A to Opal-CT diagenetic horizon. Included mapping horizons in 3D seismic reflection data in Petrel, taking detailed throw measurements across faults, and producing contoured 3D fault throw maps.
    • Conducted within the Shell Laboratory, University of Oxford
    • Supervised by Prof. Joe Cartwright

Research Assistantships

  • Undergraduate Research Assistant, University of Oxford (June - July 2019)
    • A six-week research assistantship investigating active tectonics in the Alboran Sea using 2D seismic reflection data in Petrel. Included detailed mapping of the seabed and other horizons, independently incorporating well-log data. Identified data anomalies and made quality control checks on data to ensure consistency, applying corrections where needed.
    • Invited to work under Prof. Richard Walker and Dr Claudia Bertoni, after my 3rd Year Independent Research Project.
  • MDRS “Matryoshka” Project, University of Oxford (November 2017 - April 2018)
    • Designed, proposed and executed a project at the Mars Analog in Utah, looking at the accuracy of site selection on Mars at different scales (spectroscopically, from satellite imagery and from human and drone observation). Particular oversight for site selection from satellite data. Took part in post-mission analysis including some XRD.
    • Presented the results at a symposium on Mars at the University of Oxford.
    • Conducted as an super-curricular activity.
  • Undergraduate Research Assistant, University of Oxford (August 2017)
    • Worked for Professor Nick Tosca to assist with measurement of the average crystal sizes of calcite. Required a systematic and thorough approach and a close eye for detail to ensure that the crystals measured were representative and the density of measured crystals was as high as possible.