Meet the Science Party! Dr. Steffen Saustrup

Hi all, I'm Steffen and I’m a Research Scientist Associate at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics in Austin, Texas.

WHAT IS YOUR AREA OF RESEARCH?

I work in multichannel seismic acquisition, processing, and interpretation. I spend a lot of time in the field, much of it on ships. I also TA a field course in marine geology and geophysics each May. 

WHAT IS A FIRST TIME FOR YOU ON THIS CRUISE?

This is my first time to use two seismic sources in flip-flop mode. It’s also my first time to sail with so many people from France. 

WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED TO LEARN/DISCOVER ON THIS EXPEDITION?

I’m excited to try to image an undersea volcanic magma chamber in three dimensions. This is a really challenging environment for seismic imaging, but already our preliminary results show success. 

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE GEOSCIENCES?

I love that the geosciences involve so many of the other sciences all rolled into one field – I get to touch on chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, astronomy, geography, and oceanography on a nearly daily basis. I love nature and I love history, which are what geology is all about. I love being in the field. I love forming a working team out of a group of skilled and talented strangers with a common goal. I love that geology is all around us. I love that I get to work with very smart and capable people, both in the office and in the field. I love travel, new places, new cultures, weird foods and strange money. I love boats and being on the ocean. I love working with cutting edge instruments and technologies. I love the feeling that I’m involved in important work. I love teaching. I love that what we do is not easy. I love that the people I work with – both the scientists and the non-scientists (deckhands, cooks, engineers, technicians, computer jockeys, admins, sailors) -- are all adventurers with a laugh and a story to tell. 

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF!

My hobbies are music, sailing, fly fishing, dancing, cooking, and most recently painting. I’m lucky enough to have seen a lot of the world, including trips to both the Arctic and Antarctic. I’m passably good with Spanish, and Patagonia is one of my favorite parts of the world. I sort of fell into geophysics after I took my first introductory geology course as an elective, I had been a computer science major before that. Geology just plain made sense to me.