Karen Cook McNally (1940 – December 20, 2014) was an American seismologist and earthquake risk expert.[1]
Personal life
McNally was born in Clovis, California on January 26, 1940. She married at a young age and had two daughters, Kim Cook and Meredith Hurley; the couple divorced in 1966.[2][unreliable source?] She also had two siblings, a brother, Jerry Einar Cook, and a sister, Jean Howard Brown.[1]
In 1984, McNally established a modern geophysical observatory (the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional (OVSICORI-UNA)) and a national seismographic network in Costa Rica,[1] and with this she was able to improve the country's program for reducing earthquake hazards. With funding from Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the U.S Agency for International Development McNally was able to lead a team of UCSC and Costa Rician scientists to set up the seismographic network. She was awarded the University Medal, more specifically named the Medalla Universidad Nacional by the National University of Costa Rica for her contributions on July 2, 2004.[3][2] Her work in Costa Rica also encouraged ongoing collaborations between the UCSC faculty and researchers in Costa Rica. Her work in predicting and helping prepare Costa Rica for the Loma Prieta earthquake also earned her a spotlight in Time Magazine.[4]