Randall Jibson

Biography

In 35 years at the USGS, Dr. Randall Jibson has conducted research on a wide variety of landslide processes. He has conducted numerous post-earthquake investigations in the United States and throughout the world and is an internationally recognized expert in earthquake-triggered landslides. Most recently, he has developed methods to assess and map regional seismic landslide hazards using displacement-based methods. He served as the Coordinator of the USGS Landslide Hazards Reduction Program for several years and has published more than 100 research articles and reports.

EDUCATION:

    Ph.D.    Geology, Stanford University, 1980-1985

    M.S.     Civil Engineering, Stanford University, 1980-82

    B.S.      Geological Sciences, San Diego State University, 1978-80

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

1994-pres. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Golden, Colorado, Research Geologist. Research on geologic hazards. Activities include developing methods for dynamic modeling of the initiation and movement of landslides during earthquakes, instrumenting active landslides, computer modeling of coseismic landslide behavior, quantitative modeling of geomorphic and geotechnical factors affecting landslide initiation and distribution, and developing high-resolution digital (GIS) methods to produce regional seismic landslide hazard maps.

1990-1994 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Golden, Colorado, Supervisory Geologist, Coordinator of Landslide Hazards Reduction Program. Managed all facets of the $2.3-million program: coordinated all research projects; directly supervised the research and support staff; responsible for all personnel, budget, and programmatic decisions. Conducted research to develop models of landslide movement during earthquakes and to quantify rates and processes of coastal bluff retreat along the Great Lakes.

1988-1990 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Reston, Virginia, Supervisory Geologist, Coordinator of Geomechanics Research Group. Supervised geologic-hazards research of the scientific and support staff in the Geomechanics Group of the Branch of Geologic Risk Assessment. Conducted research on debris flows triggered by tropical storms in Puerto Rico and on earthquake-induced landslides in the U.S. and Japan.

1983-1988 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Menlo Park, California, and Reston, Virginia, Geologist. Conducted research on earthquake-triggered landslides in the New Madrid seismic zone; conducted field, laboratory, and modeling studies to develop methods to determine seismic or aseismic origin of landslides for application in neotectonic and paleoseismic research.

1979-1983 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Menlo Park, California, Physical Science Technician. Conducted index tests and direct- and triaxial-shear tests on soil samples; conducted in-situ soil tests (standard and cone penetration); analyzed and interpreted data.