In this interview, George Thompson discusses his life and career. Topics discussed include: his early life in Swissvale, Pennsylvania; undergraduate studies at Pennsylvania State University; graduate studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); work with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); U.S. Navy; Ph.D. study at Stanford University; Aaron Waters; Stanford University Geophysics Department; his approach to teaching; Stanford University School of Earth Sciences; Allan Cox; Cecil Green; Stanford School of Earth Sciences connections with the oil industry; Loma Prieta earthquake; Gary Ernst; Lamont Geological Observatory of Columbia University; evolution of the disciplines of geology and geophysics; nuclear waste disposal; fracking; Geological Society of America; American Geophysical Union.