Geological
science professor receives grant
By
Cherie Otto
On-line Forty-Niner
Teresa
Ramirez-Herrera, professor of geological
sciences at Cal State Long Beach has received
a $83,589 grant from the National Science
Foundation.
In
January she will be teaming up with scientists
and two CSULB students to study the seismic
area in Mexico. They are studying the tectonic
plate slipping under the North American
continental plane on the Guerrero coast,
north of Acapulco.
This
is important because "it's by Mexico
City, where 20 million people live."
Ramirez said. If an earthquake were to hit
"it would produce a lot of damage to
a highly populated area."
Ramirez
is the director of the research project
and with help from her team she hopes to
find evidence of all earthquakes that occurred
from more than two centuries ago on the
west-central coast of Mexico.
In
fall of 1999, Ramirez came to CSULB to teach
geology. "It's an important university,
with good location." Ramirez said.
"The area [Long Beach] is surrounded
by active fault."
Ramirez
applied for this grant because it was the
main institution for earth sciences.
"At
a national level it [The National Science
Foundation] provides us the best institution
for this project." Ramirez said. "Every
scientist aims to apply to this institution.
To be granted this is an honor and also
allows me to have students in my research."
The
National Science Foundation is an independent
agency of the U.S. government, which started
in 1950, in Virginia. They work to promote
the progress of science. The foundation's
employs scientists, engineers, and educators.
The foundation funds research grants for
many program areas like biology, math, engineering,
and physical science.
Part
of the organization's goal is "having
projects that have impact in education,
like having students enrolled in work."
Ramirez said. All the funding by the foundation
covers travel expenses, field work, lab
analysis, like chemicals, and supplies,
in addition with paid time for herself and
her students.
One
graduate student working with Ramirez is
Matthew Sedro. He said he is very excited
about this research project. Sedro said
he approached Ramirez because he was interested
in research work.
"She
was doing exactly what I wanted to do, only
in Mexico." Sedor said. "I heard
she was looking for someone through the
department."
Sedro
has worked with Ramirez for about a year
now and last January he went with her and
some other students for four weeks in the
field. The area they are studying has been
seismically active since 1911 and is considered
to be the location next massive earthquake.
"Rock
segments are locked in there, building up
tension, pulling down the coast line."
Sedro explained. "[We] are going to
predict intervals of past, if it happened
before."
Ramirez
will be present her first paper to the Geological
Society of America in November. She and
her students will be working until the end
of next summer, where Ramirez will then
be writing another proposal to get more
funding.
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