Department of Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences

Karen M. Fischer

Louis and Elizabeth Scherck Distinguished Professor of Geological Sciences
GeoChem Building
Room 158
Research Interests Geophysics, Tectonics Volcanology and Petrology
Pronouns she/her
Concentration Advisor for Geophysics and Climate Physics

Biography

I am a seismologist who studies the structure and dynamics of the Earth's interior. Our group focuses on understanding the lithosphere and asthenosphere, how these layers are created and evolve over time, and their roles in plate tectonics and mantle convection. We analyze and model large datasets of seismic waveform data to measure the structure of the crust and mantle, including the signatures of present-day and ancient plate boundaries, mantle flow, and mantle melting processes. Our work involves field-based seismometer experiments and the development of new methods to resolve Earth structure with seismic waves. I am a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, a recipient of the Reid Medal (Seismological Society of America) and the Jardetzky Medal (Columbia University), and was a Gutenberg Lecturer (American Geophysical Union). I am grateful to Brown for the Royce Family Professorship in Teaching Excellence, the Karen T. Romer Award for Undergraduate Advising and Mentoring, and the Meenakshi Narain Excellence in Research Mentoring Award. I earned my B.S. from Yale University and my Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and I was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. 

Recent News

The Publics Radio

East Coast earthquake felt in Rhode Island

Rhode Island was among several East Coast states that felt a small earthquake on Friday morning, April 5th. Brown University Professor of Geological Sciences Karen Fischer says even though the quake was small, it was felt in multiple states because of the geologic makeup of the East Coast.
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Recent Postdoctoral Research Fellow Kai-Xun Chen has published a new paper in Geophysical Research Letters, titled “Seismic evidence for a mid-lithospheric discontinuity in 155 million-year-old Pacific lithosphere. Consistent with now-frozen melt that was trapped in the young lithosphere close to the ridge.” The publication lays out evidence for a low velocity layer inside old oceanic lithosphere. Dr. Chen completed this research while he was a postdoctoral researcher in DEEPS, working with Prof. Don Forsyth and Prof. Karen Fischer.
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News from DEEPS

Careers Day 2023

At the annual Careers Day, DEEPS students and community members had the opportunity to hear from two alumni, Isabella Gama Dantas and Mali'o Kodis, about their career journeys outside academia. 
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News from DEEPS

Karen Fischer is 2023 AGU Inge Lehmann Medal Recipient

Professor Karen Fischer was selected to receive the AGU Inge Lehmann Medal, which is given annually to a senior scientist in recognition of outstanding contributions to the understanding of the structure, composition, and dynamics of the Earth’s mantle and core. AGU, the world's largest Earth and space science association, annually recognizes a select number of individuals for its highest honors. 
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News from DEEPS

Karen Fischer receives 2023 ERM Award

DEEPS is proud to announce that Professor Karen Fischer is this year's recipient of the Meenakshi Narain Excellence in Research Mentoring (ERM) Award.
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