Lauren Waszek
- lauren.waszek@jcu.edu.au
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9960-1484- Senior Lecturer
- Physics
Projects
5
Publications
24
Awards
4
Biography
Dr Waszek is a global seismologist, researching the seismic properties of Earth’s deep interior from the inner core to the upper mantle. She is particularly interested in the relationship between seismic structures and their geodynamical origin. She is currently investigating the properties and characteristics of mantle transition zone and mid-mantle discontinuities, and their relationship to mantle convection and composition.
Research
Projects
Mapping transcrustal transfer of energy critical metals in Northwest Queensland
01 Jul 2025 - 31 Dec 2025
Optimising the geophysical ore body model to aid in the discovery of new critical mineral deposits
01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2027
Seismic Interpretation of NE QLD (Old ID 28938)
15 Mar 2023 - 15 Dec 2023
A new Journey to the Earth's Inner Core: a Planet Within a Planet (Old ID 27499)
01 Jan 2022 - 31 Dec 2024
Teaching
Research Advisor Accreditation
Advisor Type
Primary
Taught Modules
[PH1005] Newtonian PhysicsLecturer
2025
2025
[PH3021] Physics of the Earth, Solar System, and UniverseCoordinator, Lecturer
2026
[PH2048] Medical and Radiation PhysicsCoordinator, Lecturer
2026
[PH1007] Advanced Stream Physics 2Coordinator, Lecturer
2024
2022
Current JCU Research Students
Deep Seismic Lines in Northern Queensland: Revealing The Geological and Tectonic Structure For a Better Understanding of Mineral Systems and Critical Mineral Potential
Doctor of Philosophy (Natural and Physical Sciences)
Emotionally aware voice bot using change-point detection.
Master of Philosophy (Information Technology)
Completed Honours and External Research Students
Structure of the Earth's deep interior from seismic and correlation wavefields
PHD
Seismic studies of discontinuities in Earth's upper and mid mantle
PHD
Automatic seismic waveform identification using a Convolutional Neural Network
RESEARCH_MASTERS
Activities
Other Activities
Vice Chair, Study of Earth's Deep Interior
2023 - 2027
Education
PhD, University of Cambridge
2008 - 2012
BA, MSci, University of Cambridge
2004 - 2008
Employment
Assistant Professor, New Mexico State University
2016 - 2021
Junior Research Fellow, University of Cambridge
2012 - 2015
Awards
Output
Anandawansha, Rashni; Waszek, Lauren; Tauzin, Benoit (2025) 'ScS Reverberations Map Widespread Subducted Slab Stagnation in the Mantle Transition Zone'. Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth, 130 (10). [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Tkalčić, Hrvoje; Belonoshko, Anatoly B.; Muir, Jack B.; Mattesini, Maurizio; Moresi, Louis; Waszek, Lauren (2024) 'Imaging the top of the Earth’s inner core: a present-day flow model'. Scientific Reports, 14 . [DOI]
Waszek, Lauren; Anandawansha, Rashni; Sexton, Justin; Tauzin, Benoit (2024) 'Thermochemistry of the Mantle Transition Zone Beneath the Western Pacific'. Geophysical Research Letters, 51 (18). [DOI]
Brett, Henry; Hawkins, Rhys; Waszek, Lauren; Lythgoe, Karen; Deuss, Arwen (2022) '3D transdimensional seismic tomography of the inner core'. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 593 . [DOI]
Huang, Quancheng; Schmerr, Nicholas C.; King, Scott D.; Kim, Doyeon; Rivoldini, Attilio; Plesa, Ana-Catalina; Samuel, Henri; Maguire, Ross R.; Karakostas, Foivos; Lekić, Vedran; Charalambous, Constantinos; Collinet, Max; Myhill, Robert; Antonangeli, Daniele; Drilleau, Mélanie; Bystricky, Misha; Bollinger, Caroline; Michaut, Chloé; Gudkova, Tamara; Irving, Jessica C.E.; Horleston, Anna; Fernando, Benjamin; Leng, Kuangdai; Nissen-Meyer, Tarje; Bejina, Frederic; Bozdağ, Ebru; Beghein, Caroline; Waszek, Lauren; Siersch, Nicki C.; Scholz, John-Robert; Davis, Paul M.; Lognonné, Philippe; Pinot, Baptiste; Widmer-Schnidrig, Rudolf; Panning, Mark P.; Smrekar, Suzanne E.; Spohn, Tilman; Pike, William T.; Giardini, Domenico; Banerdt, W. Bruce (2022) 'Seismic detection of a deep mantle discontinuity within Mars by InSight'. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119 (42). [DOI]
Tauzin, Benoit; Waszek, Lauren; Ballmer, Maxim D.; Afonso, Juan Carlos; Bodin, Thomas (2022) 'Basaltic reservoirs in the Earth’s mantle transition zone'. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119 (48). [DOI]
Huang, Quancheng; Schmerr, Nicholas C.; Beghein, Caroline; Waszek, Lauren; Maguire, Ross (2022) '3-D synthetic modelling and observations of anisotropy effects on SS precursors: implications for mantle deformation in the transition zone'. Geophysical Journal International, 229 (2):1212-1231. [DOI]
Costa de Lima, Thuany; Tkalcic, Hrvoje; Waszek, Lauren (2022) 'A new Probe into the Innermost Inner Core Anisotropy via the Global Coda-correlation Wavefield'. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 127 (4). [DOI]
Waszek, Lauren; Tauzin, Benoit; Schmerr, Nicholas; Ballmer, Maxim D.; Afonso, Juan Carlos (2021) 'A poorly mixed mantle transition zone and its thermal state inferred from seismic waves'. Nature Geoscience, 14 :949-955. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Garcia, J.A.; Waszek, L.; Tauzin, B.; Schmerr, N. (2021) 'Automatic identification of mantle seismic phases using a Convolutional Neural Network'. Geophysical Research Letters, 48 (18). [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Burdick, Scott; Waszek, Lauren; Lekić, Vedran (2019) 'Seismic tomography of the uppermost inner core'. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 528 . [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Huang, Quancheng; Schmerr, Nicholas; Waszek, Lauren; Beghein, Caroline (2019) 'Constraints on seismic anisotropy in the mantle transition zone from long‐period SS precursors'. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 124 (7):6779-6800. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Waszek, Lauren; Schmerr, Nicholas C.; Ballmer, Maxim D. (2018) 'Global observations of reflectors in the mid-mantle with implications for mantle structure and dynamics'. Nature Communications, 9 . [DOI]
Godwin, Harriet; Waszek, Lauren; Deuss, Arwen (2018) 'Measuring the seismic velocity in the top 15 km of Earth’s inner core'. Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 274 :158-169. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Lasbleis, Marine; Waszek, Lauren; Day, Elizabeth A. (2017) 'GrowYourIC: a step toward a coherent model of the earth’s inner core seismic structure'. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 18 (11):4016-4026. [DOI]
Waszek, Lauren; Deuss, Arwen (2015) 'Observations of exotic inner core waves'. Geophysical Journal International, 200 (3):1636-1650. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Blom, Nienke A.; Deuss, Arwen; Paulssen, Hanneke; Waszek, Lauren (2015) 'Inner core structure behind the PKP core phase triplication'. Geophysical Journal International, 201 (3):1657-1665. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Waszek, Lauren; Deuss, Arwen (2015) 'Anomalously strong observations of PKiKP/PcP amplitude ratios on a global scale'. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 120 (7):5175-5190. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Waszek, Lauren; Thomas, Christine; Deuss, Arwen (2015) 'PKP precursors: implications for global scatterers'. Geophysical Research Letters, 42 (10):3829-3838. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Waszek, Lauren; Deuss, Arwen (2013) 'A low attenuation layer in the Earth's uppermost inner core'. Geophysical Journal International, 195 (3):2005-2015. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Waszek, Lauren; Deuss, Arwen (2011) 'Distinct layering in the hemispherical seismic velocity structure of Earth's upper inner core'. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 116 (B12). [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Waszek, Lauren; Irving, Jessica; Deuss, Arwen (2011) 'Reconciling the hemispherical structure of Earth’s inner core with its super-rotation'. Nature Geoscience, 4 :24-267. [DOI]
Journal Publication
ResearchOnline@JCU
Waszek, Lauren (2024) 'Seismic methodologies key to unlocking Earth’s lowermost mantle' Nature Geoscience, 17 :272-274. [DOI]
Journal Contribution
ResearchOnline@JCU
Waszek, Lauren; Irving, Jessica; Phan, Thanh-Son; Tkalcic, Hrvoje (2023) 'Seismic insights into Earth's core' Nature Communications, 14 . [DOI]