The sky's the limit for volcanology
30 June 2026 - 30 June 2026
5:30–6:30 pm
Region(s): Waikato
Type(s): presentations
In this free public lecture by Professor Emma Nicholson discover how volcanic gases can warn of future eruptions and how drones are transforming the way we monitor these gases and their impacts.
Volcanoes release vast quantities of magmatic gases such as carbon and sulfur into the atmosphere, where they can influence climate and affect air and water quality in our terrestrial environment. These gases are also important geochemical messengers that signal how magma is moving beneath the Earth’s surface, how effectively pressure is being released, and ultimately the potential for future eruptions.
This lecture will follow the journey of magmatic gases from the mantle to the atmosphere, tracing their passage through volcanic systems and showing how they can be used to understand eruptive behaviours and hazards. It will highlight transformative advances in our geochemical understanding of volcanoes that have been catalysed by innovations in drone technology over the past decade, and how research at the interface between volcanology and aerospace engineering has fundamentally changed the way we monitor volcanoes and respond to eruptions.
About the speaker
Professor Emma Nicholson is Dean of the School of Graduate Research at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato. A physical volcanologist and geochemist, her research has advanced our understanding of how magma breaks apart during explosive eruptions, how volcanic gases can warn of volcanic unrest and transport critical metals, and the societal and environmental impacts of volcanic gas emissions.
Professor Nicholson received her MSci in Earth Sciences from the University of Oxford and her PhD in Volcanology from the University of Bristol. She has since held independent research fellowships from the Leverhulme Trust and L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science and was an Associate Professor at University College London before joining the University of Waikato in 2024.
Location: Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, The University of Waikato, Gate 2B, Knighton Road Hamilton
For more information and to reserve a seat: www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/professorial-lecture-by-professor-emma-nicholson-tickets-1981662145823.
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