Rate My Professor Mark W Stirling

Professor Mark W. Stirling serves as the Chair of Earthquake Science in the Department of Geology at the University of Otago. He earned his BSc and MSc degrees from the University of Otago and his PhD from the University of Nevada Reno. In February 2016, he joined Otago from his position as Principal Scientist at GNS Science, where he led the development of New Zealand's national seismic hazard models in 1998, 2002, and 2012—these models underpin the New Zealand Loadings Standard. His professional experience encompasses industry-funded projects in building construction, hydroelectric power, nuclear energy, and development aid sectors. Stirling has pioneered collaborative research with US colleagues, employing historical and geological data to test and evaluate seismic hazard models. He currently contributes to the core team of the New Zealand National Seismic Hazard Model and evaluates the United States National Seismic Hazard Model.

His research interests include multidisciplinary seismic hazard modelling, seismotectonics, earthquake statistics, tectonic geomorphology, and paleoseismology of low slip-rate faults. Stirling integrates geological, seismological, and geodetic datasets to advance seismotectonic and seismic hazard modelling. He has conducted paleoseismic studies in Otago, Nevada, and Australia, leading investigations of major active faults in Otago. Key appointments include Deputy Chief Editor of the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America and membership on oversight committees for the Global Earthquake Model Foundation from 2009 to 2012. Additionally, he advises University of Otago Property Services on seismic risks to campus buildings and has deployed an accelerograph network around the Dunedin campus. Stirling received two Otto Glogau Awards from the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering for his publications, served as the Society's President from 2004 to 2006, and was elected a Fellow in 2007. Among his key publications are "Ground motion simulations for Dunedin and Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand" (Kowal et al., 2025), "Paleoseismology of the Long Valley Fault, Central Otago, New Zealand" (Meyer et al., 2025), and "Testing and evaluation of the first-generation earthquake rupture simulations for New Zealand" (Niroula et al., 2025). He has authored or co-authored 100 refereed journal papers, book chapters, and books.