Name: Jessica DePaolis

Degree: Ph.D. in Geosciences in the College of Science

Hometown: Pottstown, PA

Research Summary: Large, infrequent earthquakes are produced along boundaries between tectonic plates called subduction zones which can cause a lot of damage to nearby coastal communities. We don't always have a lot of information about when these large earthquakes will occur and how they will behave, but sediments from low-lying coastal environments that experience and preserve evidence of these large earthquakes can be the key. I use diatoms, a type of aquatic, microscopic algae preserved within the sediments of these coastal environments to read the sediments like a book and understand ecological change from earthquake occurrence that gives us more information about the behavior of earthquakes over long time scales (centuries to millennia). 

VT Education Experience: Dr. Tina Dura, my advisor, has been such an impactful person for me. She's been one of my biggest supporters and has given me permission to follow my own interests within our field. We've both learned so much in this process and I respect and admire her so much. I also appreciated the consistent opportunities to communicate my science to non-specialists. 

Research Inspiration and Rewards: My love for geology (specifically earthquakes) and ecology prompted my research, and I am inspired by getting to inform the public/community about earthquakes with the added bonus of helping inform policy makers about how to best prepare for them.