As head of UGA’s Department of Geology, Adam Milewski says people are often surprised that his work focuses on water. But Milewski, a hydrogeologist who studies the water found beneath earth’s surface, will be the first to tell you that geology includes more than rocks.
Milewski is also a huge football fan with an office just steps away from Sanford Stadium. During one game, he looked around at the thousands of fans cheering and jumping and wondered if he could use his research expertise (and a phone-sized seismograph) to answer the question, “Are UGA fans louder than an earthquake?”
“geology is a broad, interdisciplinary field that helps us understand our planet, its resources, its hazards, and its sustainable future.”
The department installed a seismograph in their building as a low-cost way to observe ground motion in the region, including vibrations caused by fans cheering and jumping, and learned a lot about the Georgia fan experience in the process.
What began as a football fan’s curiosity became a unique way to explore the science of seismic activity right here on campus.
Fun Facts:
Milewski began his college career planning to be a lawyer, but you don’t choose what you fall in love with, and Milewski fell in love with Earth Science.
When UGA scored the winning touchdown in the 8-overtime game against Georgia Tech, the sensor in UGA’s building spiked dramatically, and that spike was mirrored by sensors all the way in Atlanta.
The Raspberry Shake seismograph project was a partnership between geology laboratory professional Michael Durham, marketing, outreach, & development coordinator Hailey Bos, and the Department of Geology GeoAmbassadors.
