Camilla Cattania

Camilla Cattania is an Assistant Professor of Geophysics in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she holds the Cecil and Ida Green Career Development Professorship. She leads research in seismology, earthquake physics, and operational earthquake forecasting, with a focus on understanding earthquake interactions at regional and global scales using numerical, analytical, and statistical tools.

Dr. Cattania received her bachelor's and master's degrees in experimental and theoretical physics from the University of Cambridge, followed by a PhD in geophysics from the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences/University of Potsdam. Her professional journey included positions as a guest scientist at GFZ, guest investigator at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University before joining MIT's faculty.

Her research interests center on earthquake physics and forecasting, with specific focus areas including seismicity on rough faults, fault mechanics and earthquake cycles, the physics of small earthquakes, static stress triggering in operational earthquake forecasting, seismic swarms and aseismic slip driven by dikes, and dynamic triggering on transform faults. She develops physics-based models that incorporate Coulomb stress changes with rate-and-state friction laws to improve earthquake forecasting capabilities.

Dr. Cattania's publication record demonstrates an impressive progression in developing and refining physics-based earthquake forecasting models, with her most recent work exploring the integration of AI and machine learning techniques to enhance forecasting accuracy. Her research spans both theoretical development and practical applications for operational earthquake forecasting systems.

Scientific Recognition:

• Recipient of the prestigious NSF CAREER Award in 2024 for her project 'Towards a comprehensive model of seismicity throughout the seismic cycle'
• Co-author of influential papers that have advanced the field of physics-based earthquake forecasting

Dr. Cattania is actively involved in educational outreach through partnerships with 826 Boston, working with Boston area high schools to lead interactive labs and demonstrations about earthquake research. She emphasizes the importance of connecting students with scientists to humanize the research process and inspire future generations of geophysicists.