Andrea Donnellan - Deputy Manager, Earth and Space Sciences Division

Andrea Donnellan
Born 1964 in Bay City, Michigan

Education: BS in geology with a math minor from Ohio State University; MS and PhD in geophysics from Caltech

Favorite School Subject: Physics

Favorite Sport: Running

Favorite Music: Classical, but also rock and contemporary.

Favorite Hobbies: Flying, running, and SCUBA diving, playing with my five year old son.

What is the best thing about your job? I like learning about how the earth works and understanding earthquake processes. I also enjoy both field work and computer modeling.

What made you enter your profession? I've always been interested in science. I chose geophysics because it had the right mix of math, office work, and outdoor field work for me. I also like learning about processes and the solid earth is very active and provides that.

What is the most interesting technology you use in your job? I like using space-based techniques to measure the quiet motions of the earth's crust. I us both the Global Positioning System and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar.

Did you like science or math when you were in school? Science and math have always been my favorite topics, though I've learned that writing effectively is important for conveying science ideas.

What are your memories of any science investigations you did as a child? I raised monarch butterflies from eggs and photographed them through their life cycle. I also enjoyed mixing up various chemicals.
I went to Antarctica three times in college, starting when I was 19 years old - I was kind of a child!