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Mark Stirling 2019 imageChair of Earthquake Science

BSc, MSc (University of Otago), PhD (University of Nevada Reno)

  • Multidisciplinary seismic hazard modelling
  • Seismotectonics
  • Earthquake statistics
  • Tectonic geomorphology
  • Paleoseismology of low slip rate faults

Email mark.stirling@otago.ac.nz
Google Scholar: Mark Stirling
ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2562-4675

Research interests

Mark is a seismologist with a multidisciplinary background in geology and seismology. He specialises in the integration of geological, seismological and geodetic datasets for seismotectonic and seismic hazard modelling.

He moved to his present position at Otago in February 2016, and prior to that was a Principal Scientist at GNS Science. He has led the development of the last three versions of the national seismic hazard model (NSHM) for New Zealand (1998, 2002 and 2012), which is the hazard basis for the New Zealand Loadings Standard. He has worked extensively in industry-funded projects in the building construction, hydroelectric power, nuclear, and development aid sectors, and is widely recognised for his pioneering collaborative work with US colleagues on the use of historical and geological observations to test and evaluate seismic hazard models.

He currently serves on the core team of the New Zealand NSHM , and is working on testing and evaluation of the US NSHM as well.

He has been the recipient of two Otto Glogau Awards from the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering for his publications, was Society President for the period 2004–2006, and was made a Fellow of the Society in 2007. He is currently Deputy Chief Editor for the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, and has served on oversight committees for the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation over the period 2009–12.

He has authored or co-authored 100 refereed journal papers, book chapters, and books, and a further 36 refereed conference proceedings papers.

Otago earthquake science groupEarthquake science logo

Mark is currently working on using fragile geologic features to test and evaluate the New Zealand and US national seismic hazard models, and has an ongoing Core Team role in the National Seismic Hazard Model.

He also advises the University of Otago Property Services on seismic issues surrounding the University's building stock, and has installed an accelerograph network around the Dunedin campus as part of this role.

He is also undertaking paleoseismic studies in Otago, Nevada, and Australia, and in the next few years will have led studies of all the major active faults of Otago (except a GNS Science-led study of the Titri Fault). In addition to the above he also supervises the research being conducted by his current Postdoctoral Fellow and students.

More about earthquake science research at Otago

Current students

  • Govinda Niroula (PhD) – Earthquake rupture simulation science
  • Alexandra Travers (PhD) – Rupture displacement hazard of reverse faults
  • Lucy O’Neill (MSc) – Deformation modelling of Otago using Pylith software
  • Ashleigh Vause (MSc) – Fluvioglacial terrace chronology and late Quaternary activity of the Pisa Fault

Past students

  • Anna Kowal (PhD, 2022) – Shear wave velocity model and ground motion simulations for Dunedin and Mosgiel
  • Jonathan Griffin (PhD, 2021) – Seismic source modelling of low seismicity regions: Otago case study
  • Aidan Meyer (Bsc(Hons, 2021)) – Paleoseismology of the Long Valley Fault, Central Otago
  • Ella van den Berg (MSc, 2020) – Paleoseismology of the Cardrona Fault, Central Otago, New Zealand
  • Ross Nicolls (MSc, 2020) – East Otago range front geomorphology; constraints on location and timing of fault activity
  • Alex Zhou (PGDipSci, 2020) – What lies beneath the University Campus
  • Catherine Sangster (MSc, 2019) – Strong motion seismology ground motion simulations in Dunedin CBD
  • Elliot Bowie (MSc, 2017) –  Validations of ground motion simulations using precarious rocks
  • Andy Holt (MSc, 2017) – Analysis of and mapping of strata and overburden using seismology and other GIS techniques.
  • Briar Taylor-Silva (MSc, 2017) – Akatore Fault trenching
  • Asrid Vetrhus COP (MSc) – Earthquake-generated landslides in the Southern Alps

Publications

Stirling, M., Fitzgerald, M., Shaw, B., & Ross, C. (2024). New magnitude–area scaling relations for the New Zealand National Seismic Hazard Model 2022. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 114(1), 137-149. doi: 10.1785/0120230114 Journal - Research Article

Wang, T., Griffin, J. D., Brenna, M., Fletcher, D., Zeng, J., Stirling, M., Dillingham, P. W., & Kang, J. (2024). Earthquake forecasting from paleoseismic records. Nature Communications, 15, 1944. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46258-z Journal - Research Article

van den Berg, E. J., Williams, J. N., Stirling, M. W., Barrell, D. J. A., Griffin, J. D., Litchfield, N. J., & Wang, N. (2024). Late Quaternary activity of the NW Cardrona Fault, Otago, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology & Geophysics. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/00288306.2023.2297962 Journal - Research Article

Stirling, M. W., & Pratt, T. L. (2023). Analyses of fragile geologic features in central New England, U.S.A. Proceedings of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting: Wide. Open. Science. S04-05. Retrieved from https://www.agu.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Pratt, T. L., McPhillips, D., Stirling, M. W., Figueiredo, P. M., & Lindberg, N. (2023). Using seismometers to constrain responses of precariously balanced rocks to input perturbations. Proceedings of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting: Wide. Open. Science. S43I-0439. Retrieved from https://www.agu.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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