Dr. Kim Blisniuk

Kim Blisniuk in the field I am an earthquake geologist. My research combines field mapping and laboratory analysis, specifically Quaternary geochronology, to better understand fault motion and “paleo” earthquakes, that are preserved in the landscape. My students and I conduct field work near active faults, collect samples from earth’s surface, process these data in the laboratory at SJSU and interpret these data to measure the rate at which a  fault moves over time.  The societal impact of this research is high because the rate at which a fault moves—how fast it moves over time—is proportional to the fault’s seismic hazard potential. When not in the field or the lab, I’m trail running or cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

Associate Professor: Neotectonic
Undergraduate Advisor

Phone: (408) 924-5045
Office: DH 222
Office Hours: By appointment via Zoom or Google Chat
E-mail: kimberly.blisniuk@sjsu.edu

Dr. Blisniuk's website
For Undergraduate advising use:
E-mail: undergradadvisor-geology@sjsu.edu

Education

  • Ph.D. 2011, University of California, Davis

Research Interests

I am a field geologist and geochronologist interested in landscape evolution, earthquake geology, and tectonic reconstructions of dynamic processes in the upper crust. I am particularly interested in how crustal deformation at depth and changes in Earth’s climate are archived on Earth’s surface, as this information is critical for understanding regional climate and tectonics. My research implements a variety of field and laboratory tools aimed at characterizing and quantifying rates of active landscape. These tools include geochronology (specifically terrestrial cosmogenic radionuclides and U-series dating), structural and geomorphic mapping, the analysis of high-resolution topography data, GIS, and the application of mechanical models to simulate the behavior of the structures observed in the field.

Recent Activity (2011-2017)

*Student Author

Published Papers

  • Blisniuk, K., Scharer, K., Sharp, W., Bürgmann, Amos, C., R., Rymer, M. (Pending), A 100,000 year history of surface displacements and slip on the San Andreas fault (in revision with USGS).
  • Fosdick, J.C. and Blisniuk, K. (Pending), Sedimentary signals of recent faulting along an old strand of the San Andreas Fault, USA (in revision with Scientific Reports).
  • Blisniuk, K., Oskin, M.E., Fletcher, K., Sharp, W., and Rockwell, T. (Pending), Geologic controls on the spatial distribution of fault slip across the San Jacinto fault zone, California and the distribution of slip across Pacific –North American plate boundary (in preparation for Earth and Planetary Science Letters).
  • Oskin, M.E., Longinotti, N.E., Peryam, T., Dorsey, B., DeBoer, C., Housen, B., and Blisniuk, K., 2017, Steady 10Be-Derived paleo-erosion rates across the Plio-Pleistocene climate transition, Fish Creek-Vallecito basin, California: Journal of Geophysical Research. 
  • Redd, J. and Blisniuk, K., 2017, Teaching photogrammetry and Agisoft in the classroom to assess earthquake hazard: Geospatial Review. 
  • Robinson, A.C., Owen, L.A., Jie, C., Schoenbohm, L., Hedrick, K.A., Blisniuk, K.D., Sharp, W., Imrecke, D.B., Yuan, Z., Li, W., 2016, Response to comment on: No late Quaternary strike-slip motion on the northern Karakoram fault: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 443, p. 220-223.
  • Robinson, A.C., Owen, L.A., Jie, C., Schoenbohm, L., Hedrick, K.A., Blisniuk, K.D., Sharp, W., Imrecke, D.B., Yuan, Z., Li, W., 2015, No late Quaternary strike-slip motion on the northern Karakoram fault: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 409, p. 290-298.
  • Johnson, K., Nissen, E., Saripalli, S., Arrowsmith, J.R., McGarey, P., Scharer, K., Williams, P., Blisniuk, K., (2014). Rapid mapping of ultrafine fault zone topography with structure from motion. Geosphere. doi:10.1130/GES01017.1
  • Robinson, A.C., Owen, L.A., Chen, J., Schoenbohm, L.M., Hendrick, K.A., Blisniuk, K., Sharp, W.D., Imrecke, D.B., Li, W., Yuan, Z., Caffee, M.W., and Mertz-Kraus, R., 2015, No late Quaternary strike-slip motion along the northern Karakoram fault: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 409, p. 290-298, doi: doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2014.11.011.
  • Blisniuk, K., Oskin, M.E., Mériaux, A.S., Rockwell, T., Finkel, R., and Ryerson, R., 2013, Stable, rapid rate of slip since inception of the San Jacinto fault, California, Geophysical Research Letters, 40, 4209-4213, doi10.1002/grl.50819.
  • Gudmundsdottir, M., Blisniuk, K., Ebert, Y., Levine, N., Rood, D., Wilson, A., and Hilley, G.E., 2012, Restraining bend tectonics in the Santa Cruz Mountains, CA, imaged using 10Be concentrations in river sands, Geology.
  • Blisniuk, K., Oskin, M.E., Rockwell, T., and Sharp, W., 2012, Assessing the Reliability of U-series and 10Be dating techniques on Alluvial Fans in the Anza Borrego Desert, California Quaternary Geochronology, 10.1016/j.quageo.2012.08.004.
  • Moon, S.G., Chamberlain, C.P., Blisniuk, K., Levine, N., Rood, D.H., and Hilley, G.E., 2011, Climatic control of denudation in the deglaciated landscape of the Washington Cascades, Nature Geosciences, 4, 469-473, doi:10.1038/ngeo1159.

Published Abstracts

  • *Guns, K., Bennett, R., and Blisniuk, K., 2017, Investigating strain transfer along the southern San Andreas fault: A geomorphic and geodetic study of block rotation in the Eastern Transverse Ranges, Joshua Tree National Park, CA: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 39, no. 6.
  • Blisniuk, K., Re-evaluating fault zone evolution, geometry, and slip rate along the restraining bend of the southern San Andreas Fault zone: Geological Society of America Abstract with Programs, v. 49, no. 6 (invited presentation).
  • *Waco, J. and Blisniuk, K., 2017, Evidence for an active and evolving left-stepping San Andreas fault (Mission Creek fault strand) from the Little San Bernadino Mountains to Yucaipa Ridge: Southern California Earthquake Center Meeting. 
  • Emmons, B., Moon, S., Brown, N.D., Blisniuk, K.D., & Rhodes, E.J., 2016, Applying newly developed luminescence dating to alluvial fans in the Anza Borrego Desert, southern California: Proceedings of SCEC 2016 Annual Meeting, poster presentation 117, p. 172-173.
  • Fosdick, J. C., Blisniuk, K. D., & Wersan, L., 2016, Sedimentary provenance constraints on the Quaternary faulting history of the Mission Creek fault strand, southern San Andreas Fault Zone, CA: Proceedings of SCEC 2016 Annual Meeting, poster presentation 122, p. 175-176.
  • Garapaty, C., Blisniuk, K. D., *Bella-Pratt, K., 2016, Finding paleoclimates using pedogenic carbonates: American Geophysical Meeting, Fall Meeting 2016, abstract ED41A-0766.
  • Blisniuk, K. D., Washburn, H., Guns, K.M., Prentice, C.S., 2016, New observations on the northern San Andreas Fault system: Fast slip rates on the Santa Cruz Mountain section of the San Andreas fault and creeping on the San Gregorio fault?: Teach the Earth, Structural Geology, 2016 Structure and Tectonics Forum: https://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/structure/2016-Forum/abstracts/153809.html
  • Scharer, K.M., Blisniuk, K.D., Sharp, W.D., Mudd, S.M., 2015, Slip Transfer and the Growth of the Indio and Edom Hills, Southern San Andreas Fault: American Geophysical Meeting, Fall Meeting 2015, abstract, T51H-07.
  • Guns, K.A., Prentice, C.S., DeLong, S.B., *Kiefer, K., Blisniuk, K.D., 2015, Northern San Andreas Fault slip rates on the Santa Cruz Mountain section: 10Be dating of an offset alluvial fan complex, Sanborn County Park, Saratoga, CA: American Geophysical Meeting, Fall Meeting 2015, abstract T31A-2821
  • Young, H., Hilley, G.E., *Kiefer, K., Blisniuk, K.D., 2015, Millennial-scale Denudation Rates of the Santa Lucia Mountains, CA: Implications for Landscape Thresholds from a Steep, High Relief, Coastal Mountain Range: American Geophysical Meeting, Fall Meeting 2015, abstract, EP53B-1016.
  • Blisniuk, K.D., Sharp. W.D., 2015, Evaluating the reliability of Late Quaternary landform ages: Integrating 10Be cosmogenic surface exposure dating with U-series dating of pedogenic carbonate on alluvial and fluvial deposits, Sonoran Desert, California: American Geophysical Meeting, Fall Meeting 2015, abstract PP11A-2212.
  • Blisniuk, K., Scharer, K., Sharp, W., Bürgmann, R., Rymer, M., Williams, P., 2013, New geologic slip rate estimate for the Mission Creek fault zone. Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Annual Meeting Proceedings and Abstracts, v. 22.
  • Blisniuk, K., Scharer, K., Sharp, W., Bürgmann, R., Rymer, M., Rockwell, T., Williams, P., 2012, Rapid late Quaternary slip on the San Andreas fault zone in the Coachella Valley and the distribution of slip across the Pacific-North America plate boundary. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2012.
  • Robinson, A.C., Owen, L.A., Hedrick, H.A., Blisniuk, K., Sharp, W., Jie, C., Schoenbohm, L. M., Imrecke, D., Yuan, Z., Li, W., 2012, Evidence against Late Quaternary activity along the Northern Karakoram Fault. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2012.
  • Blisniuk, K., Scharer, K., Sharp, W., Bürgmann, R., Rymer, M., Rockwell, T., Williams, P., 2012, A New slip rate estimate for the San Andreas fault zone in the Coachella Valley at Pushawalla Canyon, California, Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Annual Meeting Proceedings and Abstracts, v. 21.
  • Blisniuk, K., Oskin, M., Sharp, W., Rockwell, T., Fletcher, K., and Owen, L.A., 2011 (Invited), Spatial variability of time-constant slip rates on the San Jacinto fault zone, southern California American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #T43I-02.
  • Moon, S.G., Chamberlain, C.P., Blisniuk, K., Levine, N., Rood, D.H., and Hilley, G.E., 2011, Response of denudation in the transient landscape of the Washington Cascades, American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #EP53D-0645.

Technical Presentations

  • 2018 University of California, Davis, CA.
  • 2018 Pomona College, Claremont, CA.
  • 2018 Structural Geology and Tectonics Forum, Arizona State University, AZ.
  • 2017 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
  • 2017 University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA.
  • 2017 Northern California Geological Society, Orinda, CA.
  • 2016 United States Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA.
  • 2016 San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2016 Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA.
  • 2016 San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
  • 2015 University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
  • 2015 San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
  • 2014 Peninsula Geological Society, Stanford, CA.
  • 2014 Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA.
  • 2014 California State University, Fullerton, CA.
  • 2014 California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.
  • 2014 Boston University, Boston, MA.
  • 2014 University of Wisconsin, WI.
  • 2014 San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
  • 2014 Portland State University, Portland, OR.
  • 2013 University of North Carolina, Wilmington, NC.
  • 2013 New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.
  • 2012 Rice University, Houston, TX.
  • 2012 Berkeley Geochronology Center, Berkeley, CA.
  • 2012 United States Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA.
  • 2011 American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
  • 2011 Southern San Andreas Fault Earthquake Workshop, Palm Springs, CA.

Recent Awards and Grants

  • Blisniuk, K.D., Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity, SJSU 0.2 release time 2018-2019.
  • Blisniuk, K.D., "Determining the Distribution of Slip Across the Northern San Andreas Fault System: Through Long-term Fault Slip Rates on the Ridgers Creek and Calaveras Faults, Northern California", National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) ($87,623, 2018-2019)
  • Blisniuk, K.D., SJSU Undergraduate Research Grants, for undergraduate Hollianne McClure ($1000, 2018-2019).
  • Blisniuk, K.D., SJSU Undergraduate Research Grants, for undergraduate Benjamin White ($1000, 2018-2019).
  • Blisniuk, K.D., "Understanding Strain Accumulation and Transfer between the SSAF, San Gorgonio Pass and the ECSZ", Southern California Earthquake Center/USC ($60,000, 04/01/2017-04/31/2018).
  • Blisniuk, K.D., SJSU Undergraduate Research Grants ($1000) 2017—2017.
  • Blisniuk, K.D., Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity, SJSU 0.2 release time 2016—2017.
  • Blisniuk, K.D. “Evaluating Active, Rapid late Quaternary Fault Slip on the Mission Creek fault near San Gorgonio”, Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Grant ($28,000) 2015—2016.
  • Blisniuk, K.D. Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity, SJSU grant ($4997) 2015—2016.
  • Blisniuk, K.D. SJSU e-campus Technology Equipment program ($7000) 2015—2016.
  • Blisniuk, K.D. “Investigating slip distribution over multiple timescales across the central Walker Lane: Implications for the evolution of an active tectonic plate boundary”, National Science Foundation (grant funded through the Berkeley Geochronology Center) ($82,853) 2014—2018
  • 2014 National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) Grant, Determining Long-Term Slip Rate Estimates for the Santa Cruz Mountains section of the Northern San Andreas Fault, PIs: K. Blisniuk.
  • 2014 National Science Foundation (NSF) Collaborative Research, Investigating slip distribution over multiple timescales across the central Walker Lane: Implications for the evolution of an active tectonic plate boundary, PIs: K. Blisniuk, J. Langille, J. Lee, W. Sharp.
  • 2014 Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Grant, Quaternary fault slip behavior of the Mission Creek fault of the southern San Andreas fault zone, CA
    • Part 1: New Insights From Neotectonics and 36Cl/10Be Burial Dating
    • Part II: Constraining Sedimentary Provenance and Displacements of Pleistocene Alluvial Fans Systems, PIs: K. Blisniuk, G. Balco, J. Fosdick, K. Scharer.
  • 2013 Frankel Award from NCALM, For creative and innovative research applying airborne LiDAR and other data in tectonic geomorphology, $1000.

Reviewing and Editorial Service

  • Blisniuk, K., Peer reviewer for:
    • National Science Foundation Proposals (5 proposals)
    • Geophysical Research Letters
  • Blisniuk, K., Journal Reviewer for:
    • Elements
    • National Science Foundation, Tectonics Program
    • National Science Foundation, GLD
    • Geosphere
    • Tectonics
    • Journal of Geophysical Research
    • Geology/GSA Bulletin/Geosphere
    • Geophysical Research Letters
    • Tectonics
    • Quaternary Geochronology
    • Journal of Quaternary Science Reviews
    • Geophysical Journal International

Other Professional Service

  • Co-author in Future Directions in Tectonics Report Grand Challenge #1 (2018).
  • NSF Early Career Geoscience Faculty, University of Maryland: Teaching, Research, and Managing your Career (2018).
  • Advocate for T217 Challenges in Tectonics 5: Synergies between Meeting Societal Needs and Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Tectonics and Structural Geology: GSA Seattle (2017).
  • Co-Chair (with Ramon Arrowsmith) of Structural Geology and Tectonics Forum: Tempe (2017).
  • Visiting Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (2017-present).
  • Visiting scholar at Stanford University (2014-2016). 
  • Interviewed about seismic hazards by numerous media outlets including the New York Times, CBS, and ABC News.
  • Invited to National Center for Airborne Laser Swath Mapping Workshop: "Identifying future directions for LIDAR research". Houston, Texas.
  • National Science Foundation Earth Science Postdoctoral Fellow, Berkeley Geochronology Center, University of California, Berkeley (2012-2014).
  • Field Trip Leader and Guidebooks: Presented field methods, sample collection techniques, and scientific results to undergraduate students, graduate students, professionals, academics, state rangers and volunteers working at the state parks.
    • 2014 Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC): San Andreas fault through the San Gorgonio Pass.
    • 2012 Seismological Society of America (SSA): Paleoseismic Slip Rates on the Elsinore Fault.
  • Student Training: Mentored and trained high school and undergraduate students in geologic field mapping, laboratory techniques, and ArcGIS computer skills.
    • Summer 2014 Stanford University: Pre-Collegiate Earth Science Program
    • Summer 2013 University of California, Berkeley: Ramsden Undergraduate Research Project.
    • Summer 2011 - 2014 Stanford University: High School Summer Internship Program (laboratory).
  • Student Training: Mentoring and training high school and undergraduate students in geologic field mapping, laboratory techniques, and ArcGIS computer skills
    • San Jose State University: High school interns in Active Tectonics (2015-Present).
    • Stanford University: Pre-Collegiate Earth Science Program (2014).
    • University of California, Berkeley: Ramsden Undergraduate Research Project (2013).
    • Stanford University: High School summer internship program (laboratory) (2007-2014).
    • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: Undergraduate field training (2007-2008).
    • California State University, Fullerton: Combining field observations with GIS computer skills in Chiang Mai, Thailand (ArcGIS computer skills) (2005).
  • Field trip leader and guidebook author: Presenting field methods, sample collection techniques, and scientific results to undergraduate students, graduate students, professionals, academics, state rangers and volunteers working at state parks:
    • Seismological Society of America (SSA): Paleoseismic Slip Rates on the Elsinore Fault (2012).
    • Friends of the Pleistocene (FOP): Cross-correlation of Quaternary dating techniques, slip rates, and tectonic models in the western Salton Trough (2008).
    • Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC): The southern San Jacinto Fault (2008).
    • Southern San Andreas Fault Earthquake meeting (SoSAFE): Quantifying Uncertainty in Fault System Behavior (2008).
    • Anza Borrego State Park Paleontology Society: Understanding desert landforms (2007).
    • Geological Society of America (GSA) Cordilleran meeting: Large dextral offset across Owens Valley, California, from 148 Ma to 1872 A.D. (2005).