Volcano guest speaker

'My Exploding World'

Mountaineering introduced me to exciting landscapes formed by volcanoes. Rock climbing gave me a very close up and intimate relationship with volcanic rock as I scanned its surface looking for holds. Wanting to learn more about how the landscapes I loved were formed, I studied geology at university. This led me  to embark on an appreciation of volcanoes around the world. As well as endlessly fascinating and awe inspiring, I learnt they are economically and socially important, as well as having an impact on climate and the natural environment.

My work with volcanoes has taken me to Pompeii, Herculaneum & Vesuvius, Hawaii (collecting samples of molten lava from a lava lake), Canada (evading grizzlies), Montserrat (evading ash avalanches and a near death experience), New Zealand (evading jail!), Etna and Stromboli, and Iceland (where I have been keeping an eye on the latest activity, and its impacts).

Each of these locations offers fascinating, but intriguinglyly different, insights into the processes that helped form our planet and still today mould our culture and history. Using dramatic video and still photography, we will explore some of the most interesting and accessible volcanic areas in the world.

Other talks

Grand Canyon Montserrat volcanoes Canadian wilderness Botswana & the Okavango Delta New Zealand Utah & Arizona Antarctica Pompeii, Herculaneum & Vesuvius Iceland Hawaii Expedition planning