Harold Tobin
Professor, Department of Earth & Space Sciences
Earthquakes
Expertise: Subduction zones, Cascadia Subduction Zone, earthquakes, “ShakeAlert” earthquake early warning system
Harold Tobin is the director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and professor in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences. His research involves interdisciplinary and integrative studies of tectonic plate boundaries with a focus on how faults work. He is especially interested in subduction zones, where the planet’s largest earthquakes and tsunamis take place, and how these dynamic places develop over time. Among other research activities and projects, he has lead the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program NanTroSEIZE project — the largest sustained scientific drilling project — for 15 years. He leads a national effort on planning future research initiatives in subduction zone science known as SZ4D. Tobin was recently awarded the Paul G. Silver Award for Outstanding Service by the American Geophysical Union.
