Emile André Okal




Born:   07 August 1950
     Paris, France


Academic degrees
1971 : Agrégation de Physique, Université de Paris
1972 : Thèse de 3ème cycle [M.S.], Geophysics, Université Paris VI
1978 : Ph.D., Geophysics, California Institute of Technology
1978 : Doctorat d'Etat, Université Paris VII.


Professional experience
1967-1971 : Physics Major, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
1971-1974 : Agrégé-Préparateur [Assistant Instructor], Physics, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
1974-1978 : Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant, California Institute of Technology
1975-1977 : Assistant Lecturor in French, California Institute of Technology
1978 : Research Fellow, Seismology, California Institute of Technology
1978-1981 : Assistant Professor, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University
1981-1983 : Associate Professor, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University
1984-1989 : Associate Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, Northwestern University
1989-2016 : Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, Northwestern University
2016- : Professor Emeritus, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University
Research Interests
Seismology; Structure of the Earth's interior; Properties of seismic sources; Marine geosciences; Volcanism; Underwater acoustics; Tsunamis.

Memberships
  • Seismological Society of America, 1975-
  • European Geosciences Union, 2013 -
    S.L. Solov'ev Medalist, 2013
  • UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
    Roger Revelle Medalist, 2024
  • American Geophysical Union, 1974 - 2015 [resigned]
    Fellow, 2006-2015

  • Professional Service
  • Incorporated Research Institutions in Seismology,
    Northwestern University Representative, 1988-98.
    Member, Global Seismological Network Standing Committee, 1989-91; 2008-2009.
  • United States Geological Survey Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program
    Member, Peer review panel, 1989-1991
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Member, Working Group on a Mars Global Seismic Network, 1990-
    Member, Solid Earth and Natural Hazards Program peer review panel, 1999
  • Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada
    Member, Grant Selection Committee, 1995-1998
  • Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
    Member, External visiting evaluation committee, 1992
  • Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (France)
    Member, External visiting evaluation committee, 2010.
  • International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering, Tsukuba, Japan
    UNESCO Expert Lecturer, 1991

    Editorships
  • Journal of Geophysical Research, Associate Editor, 1983-85
  • Natural Hazards Journal, Member of Editorial Board, 1987-92
  • PAGEOPH (Pure and Applied Geophysics), Editor, 1986-87; Managing Editor, 1988-93
  • Geophysical Research Letters, Editor, 1993-1995; Editor-in-Chief, 1996-1997

  • Field Experience
  • Director, Midway Island Seismological project, Midway Island, 1988-1992
  • Principal Investigator, Micronesia Passive Seismic Array, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Nauru, 1994-1996
  • Member, International Post Tsunami Survey Team, Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea, August 1998
  • Leader, Post Tsunami Investigation and Surveying Team, Fatu-Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia, October 1999
  • Leader, 1946 Tsunami Investigation and Surveying Team, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, Summer 2000; Austral Islands, French Polynesia, December 2001
  • Member, 1946 Tsunami Investigation and Surveying Team, Easter and Juan Fernández Islands, November 2000; Unimak Island, August 2001
  • Leader, International Post Tsunami Survey Team, Southern Peru, July 2001
  • Member, Post-Tsunami Survey Team, Isola Stromboli, June 2003
  • Member, 1956 Tsunami Investigation and Surveying Team, Amorgos Island, Greece, August 2003; Astypalea and Anafi Islands, July 2004; Aegean coast, Turkey, September 2004.
  • Leader, 1956 Tsunami Investigation and Surveying Team, Folegandros, July 2005
  • Leader, 2004 Sumatra Tsunami International Post Tsunami Survey Team, Réunion, Rodrigues, Mauritius, March 2005; Madagascar, Oman, July-August 2005; Mayotte, Sept. 2006; Comoros, Sept. 2006 & July 2007; Tanzania, Sept. 2008.
  • Member, 2004 Sumatra Tsunami International Post Tsunami Survey Team, Socotra Island, October 2006; South Africa, July 2007.
  • Leader, 2007 Seno Aysen Tsunami International Post Tsunami Survey Team, Fjord Aysén, Chile, May 2007.
  • Member, 2009 Samoa International Post Tsunami Survey Team, American Samoa and Samoa, October 2009; Tonga, November 2009.
  • Leader, 2010 Maule, Chile International Post Tsunami Survey Team, Marquesas Islands, March and November 2010.
  • Member, 1969 Rogue Tsunami Field Survey, Dwarskersbos, South Africa, September 2010.
  • Leader, 1945 Makran Tsunami Field Survey, Southeastern Iran, October 2010.
  • Member, 2011 Honshu Tsunami Field Survey, Eastern Papua province, Indonesia, July 2011.
  • Member, 1953 Western Greece Tsunami Field Survey, Ithaca, July 2012 [Leader]; Kefallonia, June 2017.
  • Leader, 1856 Swan Transform Tsunami Field Survey, Omoa, Honduras, July 2013.
  • Member, 1949 Chios Tsunami Field Survey, Chios, Greece, and Çeşme, Turkey, July 2015.


    Student Advising
    Ph.D. Advisor to
  • Lisa M. Stewart, Yale University, 1983
  • Bong-Gon Jo, Yale University, 1986
  • Paul R. Lundgren, Northwestern University, 1988
  • Michael E. Wysession, Northwestern University, 1991
  • Mark T. Woods, Northwestern University, 1993
  • Wei-chuang Huang, Northwestern University, 1996
  • W. Philip Richardson, Northwestern University, 1998
  • Po-fei Chen, Northwestern University, 2002
  • Carl Ebeling, Northwestern University, 2012
  • Amir Salaree, Northwestern University, 2019
  • Nooshin Saloor, Northwestern University, 2020

  • Publications
    279 peer-reviewed publications

    Languages
  • French: Mother Tongue
  • English: Fluent
  • Italian: Excellent
  • Spanish: Read and heard; spoken fair
  • Slovak: Read and heard; spoken fair
  • Russian: Read, heard, spoken, written fair
  • Various other slavic languages: Read fair



    This page last updated: 27 JUL (208) 2023, 1218Z