Brian Tucker
Encyclopedia
Brian E. Tucker is a seismologist specialising in disaster prevention.
He holds a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
at the University of California, San Diego, an M.A. in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University, and a B.A. in Physics from Pomona College
.
Dr. Tucker has devoted his life to realizing a world of self-reliant communities that can continue their economic, political and cultural development unimpeded by natural disasters. For more than sixteen years, Dr. Tucker has created exhibits, organized workshops and symposia around the world, printed multilingual reports and written/edited three books to raise awareness of geologic threats to communities from Tajikistan to Ecuador. Beyond education, he has drafted earthquake mitigation plans and has supported mason training and the retrofitting of schools, leaving a long-term legacy of natural hazard risk reduction in more than twenty countries.
After observing the tragic consequences of an earthquake in Tajikistan
, in 1991 Dr. Tucker founded GeoHazards International (GHI), a Palo Alto, Calif.-based nonprofit organization focused on reducing death and injury caused by earthquakes in the world's most vulnerable communities. Dr. Tucker and his team have developed and applied methods that will save lives in developing countries around the world. They work through a global network of people dedicated to reducing the risks of death and injury caused by earthquakes and natural disasters in needy, at-risk countries, by sharing and promoting civil engineering principles and connecting local experts, engineers, scientists and government officials with their counterparts abroad.
Prior to his work with GHI, Dr. Tucker served as the acting state geologist, principal state geologist and supervising geologist of the California Geological Survey
between 1982 and 1991. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Seismological Society of America and the World Seismic Safety Initiative (WSSI) and is a member of the editorial board of The Journal of Earthquake Engineering.
He received the 2001 Gorakha Dakshin Bahu Award for service to the people of Nepal by the King of Nepal and was named a MacArthur Fellow
in 2002 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. In 2007, Dr. Tucker was named a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences
. Also that year, he received the George Brown Award for International Scientific Cooperation from the U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation. He was recently named one of UC San Diego's 100 Influential Alumni.
He holds a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, is one of the oldest and largest centers for ocean and earth science research, graduate training, and public service in the world...
at the University of California, San Diego, an M.A. in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University, and a B.A. in Physics from Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
.
Dr. Tucker has devoted his life to realizing a world of self-reliant communities that can continue their economic, political and cultural development unimpeded by natural disasters. For more than sixteen years, Dr. Tucker has created exhibits, organized workshops and symposia around the world, printed multilingual reports and written/edited three books to raise awareness of geologic threats to communities from Tajikistan to Ecuador. Beyond education, he has drafted earthquake mitigation plans and has supported mason training and the retrofitting of schools, leaving a long-term legacy of natural hazard risk reduction in more than twenty countries.
After observing the tragic consequences of an earthquake in Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, in 1991 Dr. Tucker founded GeoHazards International (GHI), a Palo Alto, Calif.-based nonprofit organization focused on reducing death and injury caused by earthquakes in the world's most vulnerable communities. Dr. Tucker and his team have developed and applied methods that will save lives in developing countries around the world. They work through a global network of people dedicated to reducing the risks of death and injury caused by earthquakes and natural disasters in needy, at-risk countries, by sharing and promoting civil engineering principles and connecting local experts, engineers, scientists and government officials with their counterparts abroad.
Prior to his work with GHI, Dr. Tucker served as the acting state geologist, principal state geologist and supervising geologist of the California Geological Survey
California Geological Survey
Although it was not until 1880 that the California State Mining Bureau, predecessor to the California Geological Survey, was established, the "roots" of California's state geological survey date to an earlier time...
between 1982 and 1991. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Seismological Society of America and the World Seismic Safety Initiative (WSSI) and is a member of the editorial board of The Journal of Earthquake Engineering.
He received the 2001 Gorakha Dakshin Bahu Award for service to the people of Nepal by the King of Nepal and was named a MacArthur Fellow
MacArthur Fellows Program
The MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T...
in 2002 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. In 2007, Dr. Tucker was named a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences
California Academy of Sciences
The California Academy of Sciences is among the largest museums of natural history in the world. The academy began in 1853 as a learned society and still carries out a large amount of original research, with exhibits and education becoming significant endeavors of the museum during the twentieth...
. Also that year, he received the George Brown Award for International Scientific Cooperation from the U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation. He was recently named one of UC San Diego's 100 Influential Alumni.
External links
- Pomona College Alumnus Brian Tucker Receives Renowned Macarthur Fellowship from CollegeNews.orgAnnapolis GroupThe Annapolis Group is an American organization that describes itself as "a nonprofit alliance of the nation’s leading independent liberal arts colleges." It represents approximately 130 liberal arts colleges in the United States...
- GeoHazards International