Brandon Paul VanderBeek

SM Seismology

The 2025 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Brandon Paul VanderBeek for major achievements in seismic imaging of the Earth's interior, and geodynamic interpretation of its complex isotropic and anisotropic structure.

Brandon Paul VanderBeek is awarded the 2025 EGU Seismology Division Early Career Scientist Award for his pioneering contributions to seismic imaging of the Earth's interior and his leadership in developing novel anisotropic tomography techniques.

VanderBeek’s research has advanced the field by improving body-wave imaging, a key method for resolving Earth’s subsurface structure. His work has demonstrated that traditional isotropic assumptions introduce significant biases in velocity models. By introducing a new body-wave velocity parameterisation, he enabled the first simultaneous inversion for isotropic anomalies and anisotropic fabric using both P- and S-wave travel times. This innovation has significantly enhanced our ability to infer mantle deformation patterns and tectonic processes.

His application of these methods to the Mediterranean basin has provided critical insights into upper mantle dynamics, yielding geodynamically relevant constraints on seismic anisotropy. Additionally, his development of a stable S-wave delay-time tomography framework has allowed the first comprehensive imaging of anisotropic fabrics in three dimensions. Recognising the limitations of conventional linearised inversions, he has also contributed to the development of efficient stochastic approaches that rigorously explore trade-offs between isotropic and anisotropic structures, ensuring more robust interpretations.

Beyond his scientific contributions, VanderBeek has played a key role in mentoring students and fostering the next generation of seismologists. His involvement in open-source software development and scientific outreach, including contributions to podcasts and field expeditions, has broadened the impact of his research beyond academia. His leadership in organising conference sessions and scientific collaborations has further strengthened the seismological community.

For these outstanding contributions to seismology, the European Geosciences Union recognises Brandon Paul VanderBeek with the 2025 Seismology Division Early Career Scientist Award.