He is the recipient of several research honors including, most recently, the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering's Commendation Award, selection for the U. S. National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering Program, and the Prakash Foundation Research Award. In addition to his technical publications, Wartman’s writing on geologic hazards and public policy has appeared in the New York Times and the Seattle Times. Prior to his career in academia, Wartman served in professional practice as a licensed Engineer. At UW, Wartman teaches and conducts research on geologic hazards, engineering geology, and earthquake engineering.