Dr Kusala Rajendran

EDUCATION, Professional details

• Doctor of Philosophy (Geological Sciences).1992; Univ. of South Carolina, USA

• Master of Technology (Applied Geophysics); 1979, IIT- Roorkee, India

• Bachelor of Science (Chemistry major); 1976, Kerala University, India

• Diploma in Journalism, Press Club, Trivandrum, 1986.

• Scientist, Centre for Earth Science Studies at Trivandrum, India (February 1980-August 1987; August 1993 to July 2007).

• Post-Doctoral researcher at the Department of Geological Sciences, University of South Carolina ( January 1993-July 1993).

• Professor, Centre for Earth Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore since July 2007. Retired in July 2020; Currently Honorary Professor, IISc-ISRO Centre of Excellence in Advanced Mechanics of Material, Indian Institute of Science.

ACADEMIC HONORS, AWARDS AND OTHER RECOGNITIONS

• One among top 100 Asian Scientists, Asian Scientist Magazine (2019).

• National award for Women scientist, 2018 (instituted by the Ministry of Earth sciences, Government of India).

• Top 10 scientists in India, 2005: rated by the Outlook Magazine of India.

• Taber award, 1992, Instituted by the Department of Geological Sciences for the outstanding graduate student of the year.

• Krishnan Gold Medal (1993). Instituted by the Indian Geophysical Union for contributions in the field of Geophysics.

Areas of work

Seismotectonics, Earthquakes along the plate boundaries and continental regions, fluid induced earthquakes

Publications

More than 90 papers in peer reviewed journals; Co-authored 2 books (with C.P.Rajendran) -Earthquakes of Indian subcontinent (Springer Nature); The Rumbling Earth (Penguin Random House, India). Pattom Pole (Memoir by Kusala Rajendran, DC Books)

Current interests: popular science writing on topics related to earth, environment, climate and natural disasters. Write for Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhoomi, and Deshambimaani dailies. Just completed a science essay series titled ‘Bhaumam’ in the Mathrubhoomi weekly.