By tracking swarms of very small earthquakes, seismologists are getting a new picture of the complex region where the San Andreas fault meets the Cascadia subduction zone, an area that could give rise to devastating major earthquakes.

Earthquake faults deep in the Earth can glue themselves back together following a seismic event, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Davis. The work, published Nov. 19 in Science Advances and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, adds a new factor to our understanding of the behavior of faults that can give rise to major earthquakes.

As the inaugural Louise H. Kellogg Endowed Chair in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) at UC Davis, Amanda Thomas will advance scientific excellence in geophysics through visionary leadership at UC Davis and expand the reach of geosciences by teaching and mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students.

Several faculty at the University of California, Davis, are among the recipients of presidential awards for excellence in STEM mentoring and research announced by the White House Jan. 13 and 14.