Earthquake Research Affiliates Program

The mission of the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory's (BSL) Earthquake Research Affiliates (ERA) Program is to inspire, nurture, and sustain vibrant public-private/industrial-academic partnerships focused on the development and use of innovative earthquake information products including alert services and other novel seismological measurement technologies. The program is designed to promote the use of new research and technology and provide a forum for inviting optimal and essential users to participate in the development and testing of new technologies, with a goal of introducing them into the marketplace.

UC Berkeley (UCB) has significant experience and a rich research history in the area of seismology dating back to the installation of the first seismometers in the western hemisphere in 1887. BSL currently operates more than 70 seismological and geodetic field stations throughout Northern California with state-of-the-art instrumentation, communications and data processing, and analysis and archiving capabilities. BSL draws on the diverse strengths of the interdisciplinary earthquake and solid earth research community at UCB. Augmenting these efforts, the ERA program provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and information between industry and public sector groups with an interest in BSL research and the scientists themselves.

The ERA program is designed to serve groups with an interest and need for rapid, robust and reliable earthquake information. This includes industrial groups with high-value equipment and products sensitive to earthquake ground shaking, public groups responsible for the safety of large cross-sections of society, and those actively working to reduce the impacts of future earthquakes. Examples include transportation and lifeline agencies, manufacturing companies, public and private utilities, emergency management groups, the news media, and voluntary organizations. Current ERA members include the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, University of California Police Department, Berkeley (UCBPD), the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (SFDEM), and Google.

• ERA membership benefits include:
  • Invitation to ERA meetings where current developments are presented and your feedback elicited
  • Participation in the earthquake early warning early adopter program.
  • Participation in special focus groups and workshops as necessary and desirable
  • Access to the CISN Display—a dedicated earthquake information service
  • Access to other data feeds
  • Support from BSL researchers in the immediate aftermath of significant earthquakes
  • Connection to students interested in internship opportunities

For more information, please contact Dr. Jennifer Strauss (510-642-1067), or jastrauss {at} berkeley {dot} edu.