Science Pub: S.B. Is Special – Whose Fault Is It?

Find out how the unusual rocks and peculiar configurations of our mountains, basins, coastlines, and offshore islands came to be, all from the comfort of your barstool! In a lively geology talk illustrated with maps, movies, and local landscape images, UCSB Emeritus Professor Tanya Atwater, Ph.D., and geology expert Sabina Thomas, Ph.D., will vividly explain the geology of California and Santa Barbara itself. Find out how the plate tectonic evolution of western North America—and the history and development of the San Andreas Fault—led to our coast’s combination of assets and hazards.

Dr. Atwater is renowned for her research on the plate tectonic history of western North America and the San Andreas Fault. Her research has been foundational for our current understanding of geological processes that shaped the surface of the earth, ranging from the fine details of sea floor spreading to the global implications of plate tectonics. She is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including election to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, an NSF Director’s Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars, and an Emmy for Instructional Programming.

Dr. Thomas has held various positions at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, is currently employed at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and teaches earth science courses at Santa Barbara City College. She loves going out on trips in the field, and has led several multi-day trips to Iceland, across the U.S., and through the Eastern Sierra.

Join the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History‘s fun and friendly conversation and quench your thirst for knowledge about science and nature in this ongoing series of free science talks held on the second Monday of every month. No tickets or reservations required, but be sure to get to Dargan’s (18 E. Ortega St. in downtown Santa Barbara) early to secure a seat and order your favorite food and drink.