Yajing Liu

Yajing Liu is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Earthquake Seismology at McGill University's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Her research focuses on earthquake mechanics, fault behavior, and anthropogenic seismicity, particularly induced by hydraulic fracturing. She combines geophysical observations with advanced numerical modeling to improve earthquake hazard prediction.

Education: PhD (2007, Harvard University) and BSc (2001, Peking University). Professional experience includes roles at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Princeton University. She leads the SCEC SEAS benchmark project, advancing community code verification for earthquake and aseismic slip simulations. Notable work includes discovering a novel type of slow-slip hydraulic fracturing-induced earthquakes in British Columbia and studying induced seismicity links to methane emissions.

Research emphasizes subduction zones, fault geometry effects, and crustal stress dynamics. She has advised PhD student John Onwuemeka (JGR 2021) and secured NSERC strategic grants. Current projects explore seismic hazard mitigation in unconventional energy extraction and fault system interactions.

• Key awards: Canada Research Chair in Earthquake Seismology
• Labs/teams: SEAS community code project, McGill seismic hazard research group