Eric is originally from southern Illinois but is currently a postdoc at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Here are his responses to some questions:
What have you studied in science or are currently studying?
Much of my past research focused on the rupture properties of megathrust earthquakes and how these properties contributed to the hazards associated with the events. One earthquake that I spent quite a bit of time researching occurred on March 11, 2011 near Tohoku, Japan. This event had a very large magnitude (9.0) and generated an enormous tsunami that devastated parts of the eastern coast of Japan. If you want to see an animation of the event, please check out this webpage that my advisor and I put together a few weeks after the earthquake (http://www.seismology.harvard.edu/research_japan.html).
My current research is concentrated on the magmatic plumbing beneath Mount St. Helens. Using seismic data that a group of ~55 volunteers from around the world collected this summer, I hope to gain a better understanding of how magma is stored and transported in the crust, and how this information can be used to explain and predict the size and timing of past and future eruptions.
What or who inspired you to get into Science in the first place? What do you like about Science?
My 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Davis, and high school physics teacher, Mrs. Brashear, inspired my interest in science with their enthusiasm for the subjects that they taught and incorporation of hands-on activities into many of their lessons.
The thing I like most about science is the opportunity to discover things about the Earth that no one else has ever known.
What advice do you have for a middle school student who is interested in becoming a scientist?
Ask lots of questions and don't be afraid of mistakes.