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Mara Figueroa Berroca

Photo of Mara Figueroa Berroca

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive

Pasadena, CA 91109

Curriculum Vitae:

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Member of:

Sea Level And Ice

Biography

I am a Surveying Engineer from Argentina, with a Master’s in GIS from Spain and a Ph.D. in Geodetic Science from The Ohio State University. My research focuses on earthquake geodynamics, using GNSS and InSAR observations to model co- and postseismic deformation and improve geodetic reference frames. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher at JPL, developing geodetic modeling tools for global deformation monitoring.

Education

I am a Surveying Engineer from the National University of San Juan in Argentina, with a Master’s in GIS from the University of Extremadura in Spain, and a Ph.D. in Geodetic Science from The Ohio State University.

Professional Experience

Before joining JPL, I was a postdoctoral researcher at The Ohio State University immediately after completing my PhD. I also have teaching experience at the School of Engineering, National University of San Juan, Argentina, and extensive industry experience in large-scale projects, including gold mining operations in San Juan and topographic projects involving drone-based measurements

Community Service

I am a Central Bureau Liaison of the International GNSS Service (IGS), and the National Geodetic Infrastructures Coordinator of Working Group II for the Geodetic Reference System for the Americas (SIRGAS)

Research Interests

My research interests focus on understanding the geodynamics of the earthquake cycle using GNSS and InSAR observations, developing co- and postseismic deformation models, and improving the precision and accessibility of geodetic reference frames.

Selected Awards

  • Kaarina and Weikko A. Heiskanen Junior Award (2024) - Division of Geodetic Science, School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University.
  • Erasmus Mundus Fellowship (2016 – 2017) - The European Union.

Selected Publications

  1. Figueroa, M. A., Sobrero, F. S., Gómez, D. D., Smalley, R., Jr., Bevis, M. G., Griffith, W. A., Caccamise, D., Kendrick, E. (2024). Creep on the Argentine Precordillera décollement following the 2015 Illapel, Chile, earthquake: Implications for Andean seismotectonics. Geophysical Research Letters, 51, 19. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110945
  2. Gómez, D. D., Figueroa, M. A., Sobrero, F., Smalley, R., Bevis, M. G., Caccamise, D., Kendrick, E. (2023). On the determination of coseismic deformation models to improve access to geodetic reference frame conventional epochs in low density GNSS networks. Journal of Geodesy. 97, 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-023-01734-0
  3. Leiva, F., Ruiz, F., Acosta, G., Nacif, S., Spagnotto, S., Nacif, A., Christiansen, R., Sisterna, J., Figueroa, M. A. (2018) Geodetic changes associated with crustal deformation on the Andean backarc of San Juan, Argentina. Pure and Applied Geophysics. 176, 611–625. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-018-2031-6
  4. Gregori, D., Ruiz, F., Leiva, F., Christiansen, R., Alvarez, O., Figueroa, M. A., Acosta, G., Guillen, S. (2021) ¿Por qué suceden los simos en San Juan? Book. ISBN: 9789506058944.
  5. Figueroa, M. A., Gutiérrez, J. A., Quirós, E. M. (2019) Atlas de mortalidad de la Comunidad Autónoma de Extremadura. Book chapter in book Sistemas de Información Geográfica y Teledetección: Aplicaciones en el Análisis Territorial. ISBN: 9788409037490.
  6. Figueroa, M. A., Gutiérrez, J. A., Quirós, E. M. (2018) Atlas de mortalidad de la Comunidad Autónoma de Extremadura. Book. ISBN: 9788409118373.