Eunseo Choi

Eunseo Choi is a Professor of Geophysics at the University of Memphis, leading the Geodynamics Research Group at the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI). She holds a PhD in Geophysics from the California Institute of Technology (2009) and a BSc in Geology from Seoul National University (1998). Her academic career includes roles as Assistant Professor (2013–2018) and Associate Professor (2018–2024) before her current appointment.

• PhD in Geophysics, 2009, Caltech
• BSc in Geology, 1998, Seoul National University

Her research focuses on long-term tectonic modeling, seismotectonics, and the coupling of tectonic and surface processes. She also specializes in high-performance computing and GPU-based geodynamic simulations. Key interests include thermal strain effects on lithosphere deformation, mid-ocean ridge segmentation, and the role of subducted seamounts in earthquake generation.

• Thermal strain and lithospheric deformation
• Geodynamic code development (e.g., DES3D)
• Computational methods for tectonic modeling

Her work on geodynamic code development emphasizes accelerating computational performance using CUDA and GPUs, achieving significant speedups for 3D models. Research on subducted seamounts highlights their potential as asperities triggering earthquakes. Projects include analyzing post-Tohoku Earthquake deformation in South Korea and studying fracture zone spacing through thermal deformation models.

Eunseo leads the Geodynamics Research Group at CERI, collaborating with seismology and geology teams. She is actively involved in advancing open-source geodynamic modeling tools and has contributed to understanding tectonic processes at mid-ocean ridges and intra-plate seismic zones.