Expanding Earthquake Science Education With Quakeworx Interactive Web-based Tools
Description:
Quakeworx is a web-based science gateway that makes advanced earthquake simulation codes accessible to learners of all levels by removing technological barriers through browser-based applications. The gateway offers interactive tools for visualizing ground motions and seismic wave propagation, creating customizable, fully physics-based shake maps that depict the spatial distribution of shaking intensity, and presenting useful information on earthquake events. These applications make abstract seismological concepts visually and interactively accessible without requiring programming skills or software installations. Since its kickoff workshop in January 2025, over 1,300 users have accessed Quakeworx’s educational materials. The platform has been successfully integrated into graduate-level degree programs and also provides K-12 teachers with the opportunity to incorporate real-world earthquake research into their curricula. By enabling students to create shake maps of past earthquakes, compare predicted and observed ground motions, and interact with earthquake pages, Quakeworx actively engages learners in hands-on exploration of real-world earthquake data. Recent enhancements to Quakeworx include a new application for studying earthquake-tsunami interactions using fully coupled methods, and another application that rapidly generates maps of peak ground velocity for Southern California using reduced-order models. The generated seismic data, including visualizations of earthquake shaking, will be published on the Quakeworx and SCEC websites and can be reproduced by users of the Quakeworx gateway. We also plan to utilize Quakeworx for “interactive supplementary materials” in future papers. By showcasing further examples of educational applications, sharing experiences with early adopters, and gathering community feedback, we will continue to develop Quakeworx as a global resource for broader access to seismological research tools.
Session: Seismology for All: Expanding STEM Education Through Accessible Tools and Global Collaboration - I
Type: Oral
Date: 4/15/2026
Presentation Time: 05:15 PM (local time)
Presenting Author: John M. Rekoske
Student Presenter: Yes
Invited Presentation:
Poster Number:
Authors
John Rekoske Presenting Author Corresponding Author jrekoske@ucsd.edu University of California, San Diego |
Fabian Kutschera fkutschera@ucsd.edu University of California, San Diego |
Jeena Yun j4yun@ucsd.edu University of California, San Diego |
Bar Oryan boryan@ucsd.edu University of California, San Diego |
Alice Gabriel algabriel@ucsd.edu University of California, San Diego |
Dave May dmay@ucsd.edu University of California, San Diego |
Amit Chourasia achourasia@ucsd.edu University of California, San Diego |
Choonhan Youn cyoun@ucsd.edu University of California, San Diego |
Fabio Silva fsilva@usc.edu University of Southern California |
Chunhui Zhao chunhui3@illinois.edu University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, , United States |
Napat Tainpakdipat napatt2@illinois.edu University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champagin, , United States |
Akash Bhatthal bhatthal@usc.edu University of Southern California, Los Angeles, , United States |
Francesco Serafini francesco.serafini@bristol.ac.uk University of Bristol, Bristol, , United Kingdom |
Jerome Ronquillo jronquillo@oarc.ucla.edu University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, , United States |
Benjamin Winjum bwinjum@oarc.ucla.edu University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, , United States |
Philip J Maechling maechlin@usc.edu University of Southern California, Los Angeles, , United States |
Ahmed Elbanna aelbanna@usc.edu University of Southern California, Los Angeles, , United States |
Yehuda Ben-Zion benzion@usc.edu University of Southern California, Los Angeles, , United States |
Expanding Earthquake Science Education With Quakeworx Interactive Web-based Tools
Category
Seismology for All: Expanding STEM Education Through Accessible Tools and Global Collaboration