Report by Dr. Chengrui Chang (UTokyo) on the oversear research at University of California, Santa Cruz and USGS from Jan. 9 to Mar. 24, 2024.

Visiting Scholar Report by Chengrui Chang (a01 group)

I’m Chengrui Chang, a postdoctoral researcher in the A01 group. I had the great honor of receiving funding from the SF project to visit academic institutions in the United States from January to March 2024. During my visit, I spent a lot of time in the lab, participated in scientific discussions with various researchers, and learned a great deal from them.

My first stop was the seismology laboratory led by Emily Brodsky at the University of California, Santa Cruz. There, we experimented with a simple granular shear flow setup to study the frictional behavior of granular particles. Emily, Huiyun, Will, and other colleagues were incredibly helpful in the lab, and I was inspired by their quantitative skills and logical reasoning. Our discussions took place during morning “seismo coffee” sessions, in the lab, and at lunch tables. It was a vibrant environment with scientists from diverse fields actively engaging with each other. The atmosphere was intellectually stimulating, with a strong sense of collaboration and innovation. The weekly seminars provided a platform for scientists to present their work, leading to lively discussions and the exchange of ideas. Besides the scientific activities, the natural beauty of the campus was a pleasant surprise. During my free time, I enjoyed exploring the campus and its surroundings.

The experimental setup to study granular flow

Discussion in the lab

Morning “seismo-coffee” discussion

View on the campus

After spending approximately two months at UC Santa Cruz, I moved to the USGS Landslide Program in Golden, Colorado, where I was hosted by William (Bill) Schulz. During my time there, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the well-known slow-moving landslide, the Slumgullion landslide. The snow wasn’t too deep, allowing us to navigate the area with snowshoes. It was a remarkable experience, and I learned a lot from Bill, who has been studying the Slumgullion landslide for many years. We retrieved the monitoring data, discussed kinematic model. Bill is a fantastic mentor, guiding me through the complex fault systems within the landslide and explaining how they could serve as an excellent model to understand natural shear systems.

A view of the Slumgullion landslide

Field work

My trip to the U.S was very enjoyable. The knowledge I acquired from my time at UCSC and the USGS will enhance my research efforts. I am excited to apply these insights and furthering our understanding of earthquakes and landslides.