In 1964 , she and four others were in the middle of the frozen-over Portage Lake boring holes in the ice to gather sampling data when the Great Alaska earthquake struck . After a harrowing experience finding a way off the ice , which had buckled while the water underneath was churning , she was chosen to lead the Engineering and Geological Evaluation Group , a group of 50 scientists , to assess the areas of damage in Anchorage prior to the start of rebuilding
Great Alaska earthquake
1964 Alaska earthquake
Ruth A. M. Schmidt