Richard Allen

Professor

Dept of Earth and Planetary Science

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(510) 643 5811

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Research Bio

Richard Allen is the Director of the Berkeley Seismology Lab and the Class of 1954 Endowed Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at UC Berkeley. A leading voice in global seismic safety, he also serves as a member of the Earthquake Team at Google.

As a seismologist, his research interests span deep Earth structure, the earthquake source, and hazard reduction through societal engagement. His group uses seismic imaging techniques to constrain dynamic processes at tectonic boundaries, and his focus on real-time seismology has led to the development of earthquake early warning systems now used around the globe. He links scientific and technological advances to practical, societally-relevant hazard reduction, including through the development of the smartphone-based citizen-science oriented MyShake network.

His research has been featured in Science, Nature, Scientific American, the New York Times and dozens of other media outlets around the world. His original early warning algorithm was named in Discover Magazine’s top 100 science stories for 2003, and became the backbone for ShakeAlert, the U.S. earthquake early warning system. MyShake was an inspiration for Google's global Android Earthquake Alerts system, which was named one of the greatest innovations in 2020 by Popular Science. Most recently his work with the Android Earthquake Alerting System was recognized as a "Top 10 Breakthrough" of 2025 by PhysicsWorld.

He has a BA from the University of Cambridge, a PhD from Princeton University, and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Caltech.

Research Expertise and Interest

Seismology, earthquakes, earthquake hazard mitigation, deep earth structure & dynamics, tomography, natural hazards

In the News

Berkeley Seismology Lab Turns Data Into Disaster Prevention

A Berkeley seismologist helps to keep Californians safe while contributing to important research.

Richard Allen, in a suit, points to a large printout of smartphone screens showing how the MyShake app works.

Berkeley To Lead “Innovation Hub” Helping Turn Basic Research Into Innovative Businesses

UC Berkeley is one of eight universities awarded by the NSF to lead "Innovation Hub" and broaden research efforts.

aerial view of rocky, treeless island withpatches of green and fog bank in background

Seismic Station on Remote Farallon Islands Gets Critical Upgrade

Seven engineers from the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory helicoptered into the Farallon Islands on an eight-day mission to upgrade one of the lab’s most critical seismic stations.

graphic showing an animated seismologist

With a nod to UC Berkeley, Google crowdsources earthquake data

A UC Berkeley idea to crowdsource every cellphone on the planet to create a global seismic network has been adapted by Google and incorporated into the Android operating system, kicking off an effort to build the world’s largest network of earthquake detectors.

California rolls out first statewide earthquake early warning system

California Gov. Gavin Newsom today (Thursday, Oct. 17) announced the debut of the nation’s first statewide earthquake early warning system that will deliver alerts to people’s cellphones through an app developed at the University of California, Berkeley. The mobile phone app, MyShake, can provide seconds of warning before the ground starts to shake from a nearby quake — enough time to drop, cover and hold on to prevent injury.

Mexico City provides valuable lessons for U.S. earthquake early warning system

While the United States takes baby steps toward a public West Coast earthquake early warning system, Mexico City has had such a system since the late 1980s.

Quake-detection app captured nearly 400 temblors worldwide

UC Berkeley’s worldwide network of smartphone earthquake detectors has recorded nearly 400 earthquakes since the MyShake app was made available for download in February.

State budgets $10 million for earthquake early warning

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a 2016-17 state budget that provides $10 million to help launch a statewide earthquake early-warning system.

New app turns smartphones into worldwide seismic network

UC Berkeley scientists are releasing an Android app with the goal of creating a worldwide seismic detection network that could eventually warn users of impending jolts from nearby quakes.

White House renews commitment to earthquake early warning system designed at UC Berkeley

The Obama administration and members of Congress today renewed their commitment to funding an earthquake early warning system along the Pacific Coast.

Scientists map source of Northwest’s next big quake

A large team of scientists has nearly completed the first map of the mantle under the tectonic plate that is colliding with the Pacific Northwest and putting Seattle, Portland and Vancouver at risk of the largest earthquakes and tsunamis in the world.

10-second alert: the view from the Berkeley Seismo Lab

Scientists at the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory were alerted 10 seconds before Sunday morning’s 6.0 magnitude temblor on the Napa Fault, courtesy of the ShakeAlert earthquake early-warning system.

U.S. should follow California lead on earthquake early warning, expert says

Although California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill last week to create a statewide earthquake early warning system, the United States is still behind the curve in embracing technology that has proven to save lives, lessen damage and speed recovery after a major quake.

Earthquake alert system may be coming

The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported on the work of Richard M. Allen, Director of the UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, for helping to develop an early warning system that flashes imminent danger when a damaging earthquake is about to strike.

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation awards $6 million for earthquake early warning research

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has awarded $6 million to three West Coast universities to create a prototype earthquake early warning system for the Pacific Coast of the United States.

Featured in the Media

Please note: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or positions of UC Berkeley.

July 31, 2019

A tectonic plate is dying under Oregon. Here's why that matters.

National Geographic

Maya Wei-Haas

A missing piece of the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate under central Oregon suggests that the plate is breaking apart some 93 or more miles under the Earth's surface, according to a new study co-authored by doctoral earth and planetary science student William Hawley and earth and planetary science professor Richard Allen, director of the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory. The oceanic plate plunges under the North American plate in the Cascadia subduction zone, and it could unleash one of the largest possible earthquakes in the U.S. someday. The researchers drew their conclusions after mapping the different speeds of seismic waves created by 217 earthquakes, and looked at how the waves changed according to the temperature and composition of the rock. What they perceived was that the colder, denser Juan de Fuca plate is sinking into the mantle and part of it is, in fact, missing. "What we are looking at right now is the death of an oceanic plate," Hawley says. Another story on this topic appeared in Science Alert.

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