On April 24, 2024, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) announced its newest elected members, including CIERA Associate Faculty member Suzan van der Lee. Six total Northwestern University faculty members were named to the 2024 class. The AAAS is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies.
Professor van der Lee is the Sarah Rebecca Roland Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. An observational seismologist, Van der Lee applies data science to millions of records of seismic signals to extract insights about earthquakes and the ongoing dynamics within the Earth’s interior. By studying the Earth’s interior structure, Van der Lee aims to reveal the effects of the geodynamic forces that lead to planetary cooling, plate tectonics, continental rifting, subduction zones, volcanism, mountain building, earthquakes and more. She is particularly interested in how plate tectonics started, is sustained and how it will end.
Van der Lee has led numerous big-data analyses and seismological data acquisition field experiments in Africa, the Americas and Europe. She previously served on the board of directors of the EarthScope Consortium, is former president of the seismology section of the American Geophysical Union and is principal director of the Metropolitan Chicago Data Science Corps and NU-Geopaths. She also co-developed Earthtunes, an iOS app that transforms seismic frequencies into audible pitches.
250 members were elected to the AAAS in 2024. They are recognized for their excellence and commitment to uphold the Academy’s mission of engaging with professions across different perspectives. The Academy was founded on ideals that celebrate the life of the mind, the importance of knowledge and the belief that the arts and sciences are “necessary to the interest, honor, dignity and happiness of a free, independent and virtuous people.”
Congratulations, Professor van der Lee!
Continue to the full Northwestern news article.