Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Geological Sciences, University of Southern California, 2024
  • B.Sc., Geological Engineering, Ecole Nationale Superieure Geologie, France, 2018
  • M.Sc., Geological Engineering, Ecole Nationale Superieure Geologie, France, 2018
Professional Honors
  • AGU Freilich Data Visualization Competition Grand Prize, 2023
  • John Stauffer Endowed Fellowship, University of Southern California, Academic year 2023-2024
  • Best Lightning Talk of the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Meeting, 2023
  • Second best innovation startup pitch, Innovate LA Das Family Competition, 2023
  • Outstanding Student Award, Geological Society of America, Structural Geology and Tectonics division, 2022
Professional Affiliations
  • Southern California Earthquake Center
  • Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG)

Dr. Gauriau specializes in geomorphology and assessment of geological hazards with strong expertise in the characterization of active faults. She has extensive experience in geological mapping, combining GIS tools and satellite imagery with field investigations and has experience with analysis and interpretation of digital elevation data including LiDAR and photogrammetry-derived products.

Dr. Gauriau conducted her PhD at the University of Southern California where she focused on fault-system mechanics, bringing a breakthrough understanding of plate-boundary fault-system behavior. She studied fault slip rates and developed digital elevation models using GIS for sites located in Turkey, New Zealand and California. She led multidisciplinary field campaigns for geomorphological characterization and in-situ sediment sampling before further analysis in the laboratory, for radiocarbon and luminescence dating. Her field work experience ranges from subsurface geological mapping to paleoseismic trenching. In addition, Dr. Gauriau conducted advanced numerical simulations to explore the mechanical properties behind earthquakes recurrence behavior happening on strike-slip faults.

Her previous engineering background allowed Dr. Gauriau to gain substantial experience in the field of mineral resources exploration, and ore-bearing rock characterization, ranging from the scale of an entire ore deposit (with 3D geomodelling using regional geological mapping and boreholes) to the single-mineral scale (with mineralogical and geochemical analyses). The combination of her geological mapping skillset with her global understanding of geological systems allows Dr. Gauriau to apply her expertise to a wide range of technically challenging projects.