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Ursula Cochran

Guest writer

Dr Ursula Cochran is a freelance science writer from Wellington. She is an earthquake geologist with 18 years as a research scientist at GNS Science. Her interests include neuroscience, parenting, and planet Earth, and aspirations for all New Zealanders to be safer and happier.

Image: Archi Banal

For safe places to live, look to the land

After the wake-up call of Cyclone Gabrielle, now's the time to step back and think about where it’s sensible to live in this country. And the land itself has all the answers.

By Ursula Cochran | 27th February, 2023

Image: Archi Banal

The body has its own traffic light system, and it’s been stuck on red for too long

Being in a constant heightened state of alert is neither helpful nor sustainable. Here’s how to return to the green zone.

By Ursula Cochran | 24th December, 2021

One of the alerts that went out on Friday.

Friday delivered a big test for NZ’s tsunami response. How did we do?

Three future scenarios after today's large offshore earthquakes.

By Ursula Cochran | 8th March, 2021

Members of Canterbury University volunteer army clean up liquefaction on February 24, 2011. (Photo by Martin Hunter/Getty Images)

Embrace the new normal: Why our earthquake recoveries give reason for hope

Some thought the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes would be the end of Christchurch – they weren't. We'll get through Covid-19, too.

By Ursula Cochran | 21st March, 2020

A tsunami warning alert is seen on a notice board above State Highway 1 in Wellington early on November 14, 2016 following an earthquake centred some 90 kilometres (57 miles) north of New Zealand’s South Island city of Christchurch.
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked New Zealand early November 14, the US Geological Survey said, prompting a tsunami warning and knocking out power and phone services in many parts of the country. / AFP / Marty Melville (Photo credit should read MARTY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images)

Why it’s so important to mark the anniversaries of earthquakes

Whether it’s one year or, in the case of the formidable Alpine fault, 300, looking back to these events should motivate action on building resilience, writes Ursula Cochran of GNS.

By Ursula Cochran | 9th November, 2017