Volcanologist and igneous petrologist with broad interests in hazards, volatiles, environmental impacts and ore deposits.
Research Area
My research focuses on understanding the impact of volcanoes on our environment and on the habitability of our planet. Volcanoes are sources of pollutants and can impact our environment, society and economy in a range of ways. Volcanoes also provide us with nutrients critical for life, green sources of energy and sustainable resources. My research spans the boundaries between traditional disciplines, from deciphering the nature of the interior of the Earth, to magma transport and storage in the crust, to volcano monitoring, understanding ore deposits and the dynamic chemistry of volcanic gases in the atmosphere and climate. I am a member of COMET, which aims to observe, monitor and understand tectonic and volcanic activity from space.
I typically use methods such as bulk and microanalysis of volcanic rocks (e.g. electron microprobe, secondary ion mass spectrometry) and volcanic gas geochemistry (using e.g. spectroscopic methods as well as sampling and laboratory analysis of gases and particulates), underpinned by modelling to understand volcanic processes. I enjoy collaborations with geophysicists, numerical modelers and experimentalists to explore a wide range of problems. Fieldwork is a central part of my group’s research and I have strong links with many volcano observatories worldwide.
Project Interests
I would be happy to develop projects in wide volcanological and petrological areas. I welcome multidisciplinary studentship projects using volcanic gas geochemistry to study volcanic processes and interactions between volcanoes and environment, particularly using carbon and sulfur isotopes. I am interested in using remote sensing to understand the impacts of volcanic eruptions on terrestrial ecosystems to develop frameworks for mitigating volcanic impacts. I have longstanding interests in the geological carbon cycle and the role of volcanoes in cycling carbon through outgassing and subduction, now and in deep time. I am interested in quantifying the impact of supervolcanic eruptions on humanity.
