LOS ANGELES — In Southern California, she needs little introduction. But in case you don’t know the seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones, she’s a barrier-breaking scientist who has been variously known as “the Beyoncé of Earthquakes,” “the Meryl Streep of government service,” or, simply, “the earthquake lady.”

Although she retired from the United States Geological Survey three years ago, the last few days have been busy. She made a string of T.V. appearances and talked with journalists (like ones with The Times) about the pair of temblors that rocked Southern California over the holiday weekend. She tweeted, and in doing so, soothed countless frayed nerves.

I talked to her as she was heading to a class she’s teaching at Caltech on Tuesday morning about how her work has changed since she appeared on the local news holding her son in 1992.

Here’s an excerpt from our conversation.

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