SLH: Ask a scientist with Ben Kennedy
15 May 2025 - 15 May 2025
11.45 am–12.30 pm
Region(s): Nationwide
Type(s): professional Development
Teachers, register your class to join this free online Q&A with volcanologist Ben Kennedy on Thursday, 15 May, 11.45 am–12.30 pm.
Zoom webinar link
The Zoom link for this webinar has been sent out to all who have registered, if you haven't received the email please check your junk/spam folders. If still nothing, please email us.
Join volcanologist and winner of the Prime Minister’s Science Communication Prize Professor Ben Kennedy for a live Q&A covering all things science, volcanoes and exploration.
Ben has a PhD in volcanology and works at the University of Canterbury where he loves teaching about rocks and figuring out why volcanoes erupt.
Driven by an insatiable curiosity and sense of adventure he travels to volcanoes around New Zealand and the world.
Exploration is an important part of being a scientist
Professor Ben Kennedy is a volcanologist from the University of Canterbury. He travels to different volcanoes in New Zealand and around the world to figure why they erupt and how we can manage volcanic hazards.
Come along and ask him your burning questions about being a scientist.
Open to all, though aimed at school years 4–8. Students will need to be supervised during this session.
Register your classes today!
REGISTERWe will be using Zoom and will send the link to all those who register just prior to the webinar.
Joining the webinar
Follow these simple steps to join our webinar:
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android by clicking on the Zoom link that we will send to all those who register just prior to the webinar, then follow the instructions. You can also access Zoom on your phone, just follow the prompts.
Find the chat box located in the toolbar at the bottom of your screen. You may need to access this by clicking on ‘More’.
Using the chat box, introduce yourself, where you teach and, if you are in a group, how many people are there.
Set up your screen for optimal viewing. If you are using a mobile device, you may wish to view in landscape. We recommend selecting a thumbnail view of the presenters – this way you can easily see what is being shared on the screen.
Then you can:
Watch the live Q&A session
Be ready to ask your questions – we will let you know via the chat when it is your turn
The Science Learning Hub team will be there to support you.
If you have any questions, please email us.
Related content
Play Ben Kennedy’s Magma Pop – a game that helps you to learn about hidden volcanic processes. Our article and activity will help you get the most out of the game, (suited to intermediate level and above).
Check out some of Ben’s other resources: the article Magma Drillers Save Planet Earth and the activity Using Magma Drillers Save Planet Earth. In this activity students take on a variety of scientific roles to help solve the planet’s environmental and energy issues.
Want more? Discover our Volcanoes or Working in STEM topics.
Activity ideas
Learn more about volcanic rocks:
Identifying volcanic rocks – use information from a video to match the chemical composition and type of volcanic eruption each rock is associated with.
Lost – a hot rock – become an igneous rock detective.
Making lava fudge – use different combinations of ingredients to model the different proportions of minerals in basalt, andesite and rhyolite rocks.
Tsunamis in the sandpit – explore the effects of an expanding magma chamber and how landslides from stratocone volcanoes can generate tsunami waves.
Primary Science Week
This event is part of Primary Science Week. You can find webinars from previous years here:
Working with scientists
You may also be interested in these PLD articles to support students understanding of scientists:
Acknowledgement
Thanks, to Ben Kennedy, NZAPSE and Science Alive NZ for making this possible.
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