J. David Rogers: Not Your Average Seismologist

Name: Dr. J. David Rogers

Long title: The Hasselmann Associate Professor of Geological Engineering

UMR Specialty: Midwest earthquakes

Overrated: The massive 1811 and 1812 New Madrid quakes that rang church bells in Boston, knocked chimneys down in Cincinnati, Ohio, and lifted the Mississippi River 20 feet, causing it to run backward.

Underrated: Moderate New Madrid earthquakes. The magnitude 6.6 quake of 1895, centered in Charleston, Mo., is the kind of event that worries Rogers. Quote: "This is the earthquake we should be getting ready for (a moderate one)." It's in our face here and now, not 200 or 300 years from now. This one could happen tomorrow."

Little known fact: Midwestern earthquakes have the potential to cause more widespread damage than California quakes of the same magnitude, says Rogers, a Golden State native.

Why: The dense bedrock underlying most of the Midwest amplifies seismic energy, which then becomes trapped in the soft sediment filling river channels and valleys. An earthquake can travel through river channels, putting bridges and cities in its path at great risk.