Susan S. Hubbard

Last updated
Susan Sharpless Hubbard
Alma mater
Scientific career
Institutions Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Thesis Stochastic characterization of hydrogeological properties using geophysical data  (1998)

Susan Sharpless Hubbard is an American hydrologist and geophysicist, and Hubbard is the Deputy for Science and Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2020 for contributions to hydrogeophysics, biogeophysics, and the geophysics of permafrost.

Contents

Early life and education

Hubbard was inspired to work in science in an effort to develop insights and approaches important for sustaining the Earth. [1] She studied geology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. [1] She moved to Virginia Tech for her graduate studies, where she earned a master's degree in geological sciences. Her early research focused on tectonic reconstruction of the Southern Appalachians using seismic reflection and other datasets. [2] Hubbard joined the University of California, Berkeley for her doctoral research, where she focused on stochastic methods for hydrogeology, and completed her doctorate in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 1998. [3] She is recognized as a distinguished alumni from UC Berkeley [4] and UC Santa Barbara. [5] Between degrees, Hubbard worked as a geophysicist in industry and as a geologist at the United States Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California. [6]

Research and career

Hubbard was appointed a research scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She was made Division Director of the Earth Sciences Division at Berkeley Lab in 2013 [7] and Associate Lab Director of the Earth & Environmental Sciences Area in 2015. [8] In her leadership role as an associate director of Berkeley lab, Hubbard was committed to bolstering efforts to increase diversity and foster inclusion and respect for women and members of underrepresented minorities in the Earth and Environmental Sciences. Throughout her career, she has actively sought mentorship roles of young scientists. [9] Her research advanced the use of geophysics for subsurface characterization, using integrated datasets to understand the environment. [10] In particular, Hubbard attempted to quantify the dynamics of terrestrial systems. [11] She specializes in hydrogeophysics, in particular making measurements of hydraulic conductivity, lithology and moisture movement. [12] She has extended and advanced concepts used by the petroleum industry to better understand shallow environmental systems. [13] [14] Hubbard has served as Head of the Berkeley Laboratory Environmental Remediation and Water Resources Program. [15]

Hubbard was recently[ when? ] involved with monitoring watershed systems, imaging of permafrost and agricultural systems and monitoring of biogeochemical processes using surface geophysical data. [16] [17] [18] [19] To characterize the permafrost, Hubbard travelled around the Arctic using a ground-penetrating radar device pulled on skis. [16] These observations help to establish how permafrost impacts carbon cycles and the balance of energy in the polar regions of Earth. [18] [20] Hubbard visited the same places throughout the year to understand seasonal changes to permafrost, and attempt to understand how climate change will influence its future. [16] Within the permafrost there is a thin surface layer (the active layer) that freezes and thaws, resulting in a dynamic habitat for microbes. [16]

In 2022, Hubbard was appointed Deputy for Science and Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. [21] [22]

Awards and honours

Selected publications

Personal life

Alongside her academic research, Hubbard is involved with winemaking. [34] [35] [36] In 2009 she earned a Professional Certificate in Winemaking at the University of California, Davis. Her viniculture is inspired by her understanding of geophysics, using experimental research to improve the yield of grapes whilst reducing the use of water and fertiliser. [37] [38] [39] She has studied the wine of the Mila Family vineyard using soil-pit samples, ground-penetrating radar and neutron probe analysis. [40]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Women @ The Lab - Susan Hubbard, Ph.D." sites.google.com. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  2. ↑ Hubbard, Susan Sharpless (1990). Paleozoic and Grenvillian structures in the southern Appalachians: extended interpretation from seismic reflection data (Thesis). OCLC   21766837.
  3. ↑ Hubbard, Susan Sharpless (1998). Stochastic characterization of hydrogeological properties using geophysical data (Thesis). OCLC   42667414.
  4. ↑ "Academy of Distinguished Alumni | Civil and Environmental Engineering". ce.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  5. ↑ https://www.geol.ucsb.edu/sites/default/files/sitefiles/news/newsletters/Earth%20Science%20newsletter%20Fall2019-120419-web.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  6. ↑ Sharpless, Susan. "A compilation of ages of mineralization of metallic mineral deposits in the western conterminous Cordillera as determined through 1985" (PDF). United States Geological Survey.
  7. ↑ "News & Events - Berkeley Lab Earth Sciences Division". earthsciences.typepad.com. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  8. ↑ "Susan Hubbard Appointed Associate Laboratory Director, Earth and Environmental Sciences". today.lbl.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  9. ↑ "'Visionary scientist' looks to inspire new generation". www.tnledger.com. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  10. ↑ "Susan S Hubbard". Our Environment at Berkeley. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  11. ↑ "Dr. Susan S. Hubbard". NAE Website. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  12. ↑ "Hydrogeophysics". Earth and Environmental Sciences Area. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  13. ↑ Hubbard, Susan (2008-06-01). "The evolution of hydrogeophysics". The Leading Edge. 27 (6): 824. Bibcode:2008LeaEd..27..824H. doi:10.1190/tle27060824.1. ISSN   1070-485X. S2CID   140631202.
  14. ↑ Binley, Andrew; Hubbard, Susan S.; Huisman, Johan A.; Revil, André; Robinson, David A.; Singha, Kamini; Slater, Lee D. (2015). "The emergence of hydrogeophysics for improved understanding of subsurface processes over multiple scales". Water Resources Research. 51 (6): 3837–3866. Bibcode:2015WRR....51.3837B. doi:10.1002/2015WR017016. ISSN   0043-1397. PMC   4744786 . PMID   26900183.
  15. 1 2 "Birdsall Dreiss Distinguished Lecturer" (PDF). GSA Hydrogeology Division. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Williams, Sarah C. P. (2013-04-23). "Imaging permafrost". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 110 (17): 6611. Bibcode:2013PNAS..110.6611W. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1306167110 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   3637787 . PMID   23613572.
  17. ↑ Fauchald, Nick (December 12, 2013). "A New Blip on the Winemaking Radar". Wine Spectator.
  18. 1 2 "Geophysical Imaging of Permafrost Dynamics". Earth and Environmental Sciences Area. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  19. ↑ "The Hidden Perils of Permafrost". KQED. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  20. ↑ Dafflon, Baptiste; Hubbard, Susan; Ulrich, Craig; Peterson, John; Wu, Yuxin; Wainwright, Haruko; Kneafsey, Timothy J. (2016). "Geophysical estimation of shallow permafrost distribution and properties in an ice-wedge polygon-dominated Arctic tundra region" (PDF). Geophysics. 81 (1): WA247–WA263. Bibcode:2016Geop...81A.247D. doi:10.1190/geo2015-0175.1. ISSN   0016-8033. OSTI   1563927. S2CID   130758289.
  21. ↑ Trader, Tiffany (27 December 2021). "Susan Hubbard named Deputy for Science and Technology at ORNL". HPCwire. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  22. ↑ "Susan Hubbard Archives". Oak Ridge Today. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  23. ↑ "Awards". www.eegs.org. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  24. ↑ "GSA Fellowship". www.geosociety.org. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  25. ↑ "Academy of Distinguished Alumni Announces 2014 Class | Civil and Environmental Engineering". ce.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  26. ↑ "Susan Hubbard, 2016 Harold Mooney Award Recipient". Society of Exploration Geophysicists. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  27. ↑ Wong, Kristine (2017-07-27). "Susan Hubbard Named 2017 American Geophysical Union Fellow". Earth and Environmental Sciences Area. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  28. ↑ "Susan S. Hubbard". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  29. ↑ "Susan Hubbard Honored by Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame". Earth and Environmental Sciences Area. 2019-02-21. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  30. ↑ "National Academy of Engineering Elects 87 Members and 18 International Members". NAE Website. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  31. ↑ Kovner, Aliyah (2020-02-07). "Associate Lab Director Susan Hubbard Joins the National Academy of Engineering". News Center. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  32. ↑ "A Watershed Moment for Critical Zone Geophysics". www.knowledgette.com. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  33. ↑ "HL Susan Hubbard". Society of Exploration Geophysicists. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  34. ↑ "10.16.2003 - Radar and Fine Wine: Innovative research uses radar to map soil moisture, create better wine grapes". www.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  35. ↑ "CNN.com - Military tool helps make classier wines - Oct. 31, 2003". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  36. ↑ "Geotimes — August 2004 — The Quest for Better Wine Using Geophysics". www.geotimes.org. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  37. ↑ "Hydrogeophysicist to discuss grape growing Sept. 22 | Announce | University of Nebraska-Lincoln". newsroom.unl.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  38. ↑ "Precision Viticulture Research". Earth and Environmental Sciences Area. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  39. ↑ "A New Blip on the Winemaking Radar". Wine Spectator. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  40. ↑ "Estate". Mila Family Vineyards. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
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