Led by Yoshinobu Tsuji of the University of Tokyo's Earthquake Research Institute, the survey team consisted of nine scientists from Japan, six from Indonesia, two from France, and two from the United States. The U.S. scientists were Andy Moore of Kent State University and Guy Gelfenbaum of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Sumatra International Tsunami Survey Team (ITST): standing, left to right: Budi Waluyo, Takanobu Kamataki, Yuichi Nishimura (leaning over, with cap in hand), Sindhu Nugroho, Rahmat Triyono (wearing red cap), Raphael Paris, Yudhicara, Franck Lavigne, Inyoman Sukanta, Yuichiro Tanioka, team leader Yoshinobu Tsuji, Hideo Matsutomi, and Guy Gelfenbaum. Kneeling in front, left to right: Tsutomu Sakakiyama, Yoshikane Murakami, and Andrew Moore. Alphonso was part of the team in Sumatra but is not pictured. Members of the team who contributed from Japan are Masafumi Matsuyama and Yuichi Namegaya.