1980 Mount St. Helens eruption considered ‘game changer’ for volcanic observation
Before the eruption of Mount St. Helens 45 years ago, Washington had about 12 seismometers. ESS Professor and PNSN Director Harold Tobin described the event as a pivotal moment that transformed volcanic monitoring, expanding the region's seismic network to over 700 instruments today.
Read more at King5Experts warn that PNW earthquake would change ground level
A new study suggests major PNW earthquake could make ground sink up to 6 feet. ESS Professor and PNSN Director Harold Tobin is quoted.
Read more at the Tacoma News Tribune
ESS hosts annual Open House
ESS welcomed visitors of all ages to its 2025 Annual Open House, with several students and faculty—including department chair David Schmidt—featured in a Daily UW article highlighting the event.
Read more on The DailyUWModern farming has carved away earth faster than during the ice age
Minnesota study adds to growing evidence of human-accelerated erosion, which could jeopardize agriculture. ESS Professor David Montgomery is quoted.
Read more at ScienceChemical hints on a distant planet offer 'strongest evidence yet' for life outside our solar system, astronomers say
ESS Assistant Professor and astrobiologist Joshua Krissansen-Totton is quoted.
Read more on Smithsonian magazineDo small earthquakes mean a big quake might be coming in WA?
ESS Professor and Pacific Northwest Seismic Network Director Harold Tobin is interviewed.
Read more on Bellingham HeraldFederal layoffs and funding cuts threaten earthquake alerts in WA
Harold Tobin, ESS professor and Washington State seismologist is quoted.
Read more at Fox 13A weird ice that may form on alien planets has finally been observed
ESS assistant research professor and planetary scientist Baptiste Journaux is quoted.
Read more at Science News
Ice spy - ESS alum Peter Neff goes way down under studying ice cores in Antarctica
ESS alum and polar glaciologist Peter Neff and team drill ice cores near the Thwaites Glacier that could provide a clearer picture of the history of weather patterns in the region.
Read more at the UW Magazine
Honoring Women in Science at the College of the Environment
In honor of International Women and Girls in Science Day on February 11, 2025, we celebrate the women across the UW College of the Environment making significant contributions to the advancement of science. ESS associate professor Alison Duvall is highlighted in this roundup.
Read more at the College of the Environment