Lori Dengler knows a thing or two about earthquakes and tsunamis. On the North Coast she's known for compiling what amounts to the "scholarly bible" of tsunami and earthquake data. From her office at Humboldt State, which coincidentally sits astride the Cascadia Subduction zone, she has laid the groundwork for California's most comprehensive tsunami mitigation plan. The effort, conducted by the Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group, includes more than 500 warning signs that define the local areas likely to be inundated in a tsunami event.

As a member of a worldwide network of geologists, Lori is alerted whenever the earth shakes. Her research in earthquake and tsunami mitigation has brought her international acclaim. She's the authority when it comes to analyzing a large event — and they can be very large, like the 9.3 magnitude quake that struck the Indian Ocean in 2004. Her expertise has led her to participate in international post-tsunami survey teams, including Crescent City (2006), Indonesia (2005), southern Peru (2001) and Papua New Guinea (1998).

As a testament to her hard work in the field of geology, Lori was named the Humboldt State University Scholar of the Year for 2008. Highlighting her commitment to her field, President Rollin Richmond spotlighted her reputation for saving lives across the globe. "HSU is indeed fortunate to have Dr. Dengler as a distinguished member of our faculty and our students are always eager to study with such an eminent scholar and field expert," he said.