HMC Expert: Greg A. Lyzenga
Gregory Lyzenga, PhD, professor of physics emeritus, conducts both theoretical and observational studies of the physical processes that lead to earthquakes and tectonic deformation.
He uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to measure the movement of land along fault lines to determine the amount of strain on these faults before earthquakes and the alteration of the earth afterwards. He has published extensively in the area of modeling tectonic plate movement.
Before becoming a faculty member at Harvey Mudd College, Lyzenga worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the development and interpretation of space-based geodetic techniques. His other research interests include astrobiology, shock-wave physics and planetary science, particularly asteroids and small bodies. He is also an avid amateur astronomer and amateur rocketry enthusiast.
Media Appearances
- Thrillist, 7/26/18 Asteroid vs. Meteor: Here’s the Difference Between Asteroids, Meteors and Meteorites
- Harvey Mudd Magazine, Summer 2015 Savvy Scholar: Greg Lyzenga ’75
- NASA Now Minute, 5/13/13 Plate Tectonics: Earthquakes
- The Student Life, 2/16/12 System Developed By HMC Students Could Find Extraterrestrial Life
- NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, 11/29/11 Re-launching History: A rocket hobbyist builds a WAC Corporal replica to honor aeronautics pioneer Frank Malina.