BSM2022

Seismicity and structure of subduction zone in Indonesia: Seismic hazards of Java

Sri Widiyantoro is a professor of seismology at ITB, Bandung, Indonesia, where he has spent his academic career since 1987. He received his PhD in Geophysics from Australian National University in 1997. After postdoctoral research at the University of Tokyo (1998-1999) he joined the faculty of ITB’s Department of Engineering Geophysics. His main research interest is in the field of seismology, particularly seismic tomographic imaging. Alongside his work on large-scale seismological problems, he has engaged actively in consultancy on oil, gas, mining and geothermal explorations related work in Indonesia, so that he can bring a broad perspective to his science.

He has received recognition through numerous awards including the Doornbos Memorial Prize from SEDI-IUGG, the Habibie Award from the Habibie Center, the Science and Technology Award from the Indonesian Toray Science Foundation, and the Australian Alumni Award for Research and Innovation. He has been a Fellow of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences since 2011. He is currently Rector of Maranatha Christian University, Bandung (2020-now), Head of the National Center for Earthquake Studies (2020-now), Dean of Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, ITB (2011-2020), and President for the Indonesian Association of Geophysicists (2012-2014).

Paula Koelemeijer is a global seismologist based at the University of Oxford. She completed her PhD in Seismology at the University of Cambridge in 2014, analysing whole Earth vibrations to study our planet’s deep interior. Subsequently Paula held individual research fellowships at ETH Zurich and University College Oxford before being awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship in 2018. Paula has also been awarded a 2021 Philip Leverhulme Prize and she was the recipient of the 2018 Doornbos Memorial Prize.

Paula’s research has mostly focused on imaging the Earth’s deep interior. Using observations of normal modes, the Earth’s free oscillations that occur after large magnitude earthquakes, she has placed powerful constraints on the velocity and density structure of the deep mantle. She also combines seismological observations with results from geodynamical models and insights from mineral physics to study the composition and dynamics of the Earth’s lower mantle. To make her research accessible, Paula also uses 3D printing techniques for visualising physical models of the abstract structures in the deep Earth.

I manage the operational earthquake and volcano monitoring at the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), which is responsible for providing information and warnings about impending natural hazards in Iceland. My research interests go across various disciplines with the aim of understanding the ongoing physical processes of volcanoes and tectonic regimes in Iceland and eventually improving the operational monitoring to provide warnings to the public, aviation and various stakeholders. I participate in the Civil Protection's Science Board, which provides expert advice to the police who are responsible for emergency response in the country. I am involved in several research projects and lead the 3 year IS-NOISE project supported by Rannís (http://is-noise.earth) and lately the Grant of Excellence Rannís project IS-TREMOR. I've taken various roles for the Research Infrastructure Fund of Rannís (Icelandic Research Fund), most recently for the preparation of a new roadmap. I've taught earthquake seismology at the University of Iceland at a MS-level and am active in providing opportunities for students at IMO and in outreach activities which involve bringing science closer to citizens.