author
L. C. (Louis Charles) Pakiser
b. 1919
A pioneering American geophysicist, he helped shape modern earthquake research in the United States and wrote clearly for general readers as well as specialists. His work connected field science, public safety, and a lifelong interest in how the Earth moves.
1 Audiobook
Earthquakes
by Kaye M. Shedlock, L. C. (Louis Charles) Pakiser
About the author
Born in Denver, Colorado, on February 8, 1919, Louis Charles Pakiser studied at the Colorado School of Mines before building a long career in geophysics and seismology. An oral history from the American Institute of Physics describes his training and his work in geology and seismology, especially his crustal studies in the 1960s.
Pakiser is remembered as an important figure in the United States Geological Survey's earthquake program. A memorial article in Seismological Research Letters calls him a founding force behind the USGS earthquake effort and links his leadership to the early development of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.
He also wrote for the public, including USGS material on earthquakes that helped explain complex earth science in accessible terms. Pakiser died in 2001, but his legacy remains closely tied to the growth of earthquake science in the United States.