Harley Benz has significantly contributed to the field of seismology and earthquake monitoring in the United States and globally. His career, spanning positions within the Branch of Seismology, the Branch of Earthquake and Geomagnetic Information, and the Geologic Hazards Team, culminated in his role as the Technical Manager of the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). This system is critical for coordinating seismic network operations across the US. In recognition of his distinguished career, the Department of Geology & Geophysics honored him with the 2022 Distinguished Alumnus Award.
In 2003, Benz took on the crucial role of ANSS Megaproject Chief, where he oversaw the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC). NEIC stands as the world’s leading seismic monitoring system. His influence extended to modernizing earthquake operations within various seismic networks. This modernization was partly inspired by his co-authorship of the influential 1999 Congressional Report, “An Assessment of Seismic Monitoring in the United States.” This report was instrumental in the establishment and funding of the ANSS. Colleagues commend Benz’s ability to foster trust and respect among regional network operators, recognizing it as a key element in the ANSS program’s success.
Benz is widely recognized for his pivotal role in modernizing earthquake analysis, reporting procedures, and facilities at the USGS. Notably, he spearheaded revisions to data processing and operations at NEIC, making them more automated and less reliant on manual labor. Under his guidance, the rapid dissemination of earthquake information became standard practice. Rapid notifications, web services, and data feeds became routine tools for delivering critical earthquake data to government bodies, emergency responders, media outlets, and the general public. Today, NEIC processes continuous data streams from over 2,200 seismic stations, contributed by more than 145 seismic networks worldwide.
Benz’s innovative use of communication tools, particularly ArcGIS StoryMaps, highlights his dedication to making earthquake science accessible. His colleagues emphasize the groundbreaking impact of using story maps to present complex seismic events within their tectonic and seismological context. This approach makes these events understandable to a wider audience, proving invaluable in both educational and journalistic settings. A compelling example is the story map created for the 2023 Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, earthquake sequence.
Beyond his contributions to technology and public communication, Benz has been a dedicated mentor to numerous graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scientists throughout his tenure at USGS. He also cultivated international collaborations, assisting in the development of the Caribbean and N4 networks and the expansion of the Global Seismographic Network. Furthermore, he strengthened ties with the nuclear test ban treaty monitoring community, which utilizes the International Monitoring System (IMS) to analyze global seismic signals. His efforts have resulted in high-quality digital data from these networks being available in real-time for NEIC.
Originally from Georgia, Benz earned his BS in geophysics from the University of Kansas. His research and applications in earthquake seismology are extensive, encompassing earth structure imaging, earthquake detection, seismic source modeling, and near-real-time location and moment-tensor calculation for earthquake disaster response. His expertise also spans strong ground motion measurement and prediction, seismic discrimination between natural earthquakes and nuclear explosions, the study of earthquake swarms, induced seismicity and its implications for seismic hazard, seismic network operations, and the creation and management of earthquake catalogs. His broad knowledge informs his ongoing commitment to educating college students and the public about earthquake hazards.
In addition to his role as an educator in higher education—most recently as an adjunct professor at the University of Utah during the 2021-2022 academic year—Benz has demonstrated exceptional leadership in fulfilling USGS’s mission to assess seismic hazards. He has been instrumental in informing national, state, and local governments, private sector industries, and the general public about these hazards and effective mitigation strategies.
The Distinguished Alumni Award is regularly conferred by the Department of Geology & Geophysics. This past fall, David Braxton MS’97 was named the 2023 recipient. His profile will be featured in an upcoming issue of Down to Earth.
