Dr. Michael W. Hamburger is a professor of Geological Sciences at Indiana University, where he has served on the faculty since 1986. He received a B.A. in Environmental Sciences and Russian Studies at Wesleyan University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in geophysics at Cornell University. His research interests center on the relation of earthquakes to global geological processes, earthquake hazards, and volcanic activity, including field investigations in Alaska, the Philippines, the South Pacific, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the central U.S., notably including a current project that involves deployment of 140 seismic instruments across the Midwest.  He has worked extensively with international colleagues in the former Soviet Union and the Philippines, and has technical fluency in Russian and French.  He has strong interests in the intersection of natural disasters, environmental challenges, and economic and social issues.  He is currently involved in a number of projects involving assessment of hazards associated with earthquakes, including those associated with oil and gas exploitation.  Professor Hamburger has been a visiting researcher at the University of Nice (France), the UNAVCO Consortium, and the U.S. Geological Survey, and has served as Associate Dean and Associate Vice Provost at Indiana University. His teaching ranges from introductory-level courses on earthquakes and volcanoes to advanced courses in volcanology, seismology, and plate tectonics, as well as field courses in the Sierra Nevada and Hawaii. He has been a vocal advocate for science outreach, and has played a leading role in developing a major university sustainability initiative that links academic, operational, and residential programs related to environmental stewardship.

State Department Profile

Office of the Secretary
Office of Religion and Global Affairs 

Michael Hamburger serves as a Senior Advisor in the State Department’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs, where he works on global environmental issues, climate change, and natural disaster mitigation. He helps connect people from U.S. government sponsored programs with domestic and international faith groups engaged in environmental advocacy and sustainable development. A particular focus is engaging faith communities around the negotiations for the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change COP-21 Conference in Paris. He is also collaborating on development of new programs to engage religious communities in disaster risk reduction efforts in vulnerable countries.