EarthScope Consortium formed in January 2023 from the merger of IRIS and UNAVCO. As part of this transition, the new EarthScope Board of Directors—composed of elected representatives of the consortium’s university membership—carried out a competitive search for a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the merged organization.

The EarthScope Consortium Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Rebecca Bendick as the first CEO of EarthScope Consortium. Dr. Bendick has served as the interim CEO of EarthScope Consortium since January 2023 and was previously the president of UNAVCO from 2020–2022. While a professor of geophysics at the University of Montana, Dr. Bendick’s scientific research used geodetic tools to study tectonics, the earthquake cycle, hydrologic loading, and natural hazards.

“I am excited and honored to be selected as the CEO of the EarthScope Consortium,” Bendick said. “With the incredible staff of the organization and our rich and rewarding relationships with the broad geophysics community, I think we’re positioned for really exciting innovations in geophysics in the coming years. I can’t wait for what comes next.”

“The Board of Directors is excited to continue its work with Dr. Bendick as our Chief Executive Officer,” said Board Chair Lara Wagner. “Dr. Bendick has the ideal combination of skills and experience needed to lead our organization to a successful future. We look forward to working with Dr. Bendick, in close collaboration with our community, to ensure the availability of cutting-edge geophysical facilities that continue to enable exciting and important scientific discovery.”

EarthScope Consortium is a university consortium dedicated to transforming global geophysical research and education and is the operator of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s SAGE and GAGE Facilities. Additional support is provided by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. The GAGE Facility supports cutting-edge geoscience discoveries, applications, and education with geodesy for societal benefit across a broad spectrum of geosciences. The SAGE Facility provides state-of-the-art seismic and related geophysical instrumentation and services to support research and education in the geosciences.