David J. Wald, Ph.D.

Dr. Wald is a Seismologist with the USGS in Golden, and is on the Geophysics Faculty at the School of Mines. He earned his Ph.D. in Geophysics from Caltech in 1993. Wald is involved in research, development and operations of several real-time information systems at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center. He developed and manages “ShakeMap”, “Did You Feel it?”, and is responsible for developing other systems for post-earthquake response and pre-earthquake mitigation, including ShakeCast and PAGER.

Wald has been the Seismological Society of America (SSA) Distinguished Lecturer and Associate Editor, and served on the Society’s Board of Directors. He currently serves on the Earthquake Engineering Research Institutes (EERI) Board of Directors and was EERI’s 2014 Distinguished Lecturer. He is an Associate Editor for Earthquake Spectra. He was awarded SSA’s 2009 Frank Press Public Service Award, and a Department of the Interior Superior Service Award in 2010.

Previously at Caltech, and now at the Colorado School of Mines, Wald has advised dozens of post-doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate student research projects. His own scientific interests include the characterization of rupture processes from complex recent and historic earthquakes using combined geodetic, teleseismic, and strong motion data; waveform modeling and inversion; analysis of ground motion hazards and site effects; earthquake source physics; and modeling earthquake-induced landslides, liquefaction, and losses. This research has resulted in more than 450 professional publications that David has authored or co-authored, including journal papers, USGS publication series, conference papers, and published abstracts.
Wald earned his B.S. in Physics & Geology at St. Lawrence University in New York, an M.S. in Geophysics at the University of Arizona, and his Ph.D. in Geophysics at Caltech.