Βι¶ΉΣ³»­

Photo of Rich Koehler next to a large rock wall.

Rich Koehler

Associate Professor, Βι¶ΉΣ³»­ Bureau of Mines and Geology

Summary

Dr. Koehler has been an Assistant Professor at the Βι¶ΉΣ³»­ within the Βι¶ΉΣ³»­ Bureau of Mines and Geology since 2015. Prior to his current position he worked in state government and the private sector including positions as a Senior Earthquake Geologist at the State of Alaska Department of Geological and Geophysical surveys and as a Project Geologist at William Lettis & Associates in Walnut Creek, CA.

Research interests

Neotectonics, paleoseismology, earthquake geology, Quaternary geology, geomorphology, Quaternary stratigraphy, engineering geology, geologic hazard assessment.

Research focus areas include Βι¶ΉΣ³»­, California, Alaska, Caribbean Islands.

Education

  • Ph.D., Βι¶ΉΣ³»­, 2009
  • M.S., Humboldt State University, 1997
  • B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, 1992

Selected publications

  • Wong, I., Thomas, P., Koehler, R.D., and Lewandowski, N., (2019), Assessing the seismic hazards in Jamaica incorporating geodetic and Quaternary fault data, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, Vol. 109, No. 2, pp. 716-731, doi: 10.1785/0120180205.
  • Koehler, R.D., (2018), Active faulting in the North Valleys region of Reno, Βι¶ΉΣ³»­: A distributed zone within the northern Walker Lane, Geomorphology, v. 326, p. 38-53, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.09.015
  • Koehler, R.D., Carver, G.A., and Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission, 2018, Active faults and Seismic Hazards in Alaska, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Miscellaneous Publication MP 160, 59 p., http://doi.org/10.14509/29705
  • Witter, R.C., Briggs, R., Engelhart, S.E., Gelfenbaum, G., Koehler, R.D., Nelson, A., LaSelle, S., Corbett, R., and Wallace, K., (2018), Evidence for frequent large tsunamis spanning locked and creeping parts of the Aleutian megathrust, Geological Society of America Bulletin, https://doi.org/10.1130/B32031.1
  • Witter, R.C., Carver, G.A., Briggs, R., Gelfenbaum, G., Koehler, R.D., La Selle, S.P., Bender, A., Engelhart, S.E., and Hemphill-Haley, E., (2015), Unusually large tsunamis frequent a currently creeping part of the Aleutian megathrust, Geophysical Research Letters, v. 43, Issue 1, p. 76-84.

Courses taught

  • GEOL 450, Field Geology
  • GEOL 260, Introductory Field Geology
  • GEOL 451, Summer Field Geology
  • GEOL 701j, Advanced Geology-Paleoseismic Trenching
  • GEOL 495, Special Problems, Independent Study

Professional certifications

California Professional Geologist, #7615