INTER-ISLAND DISTANCE LEARNING
EXCHANGE PROJECT
VOLCANOLOGY AS A CAREER
Written By
R. B. Trombley, Ph.D.
Southwest Volcano Research Centre
Apache Junction, Arizona USA
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Introduction
Many volcanologists believe they have the best jobs in the world including this writer ! They
have the exciting chance to study active volcanoes in beautiful and often exotic places. The
volcanologist's work advances science, but also has direct importance to the lives of people who
live near volcanoes. If a volcanologist says a volcano is not going to erupt, but it does, many
people may die in the eruption. But if the volcanologist warns that it will erupt, many people will
temporarily move away from their homes to safety.
Volcanoes are complicated phenomena that can't be understood without knowledge of the
structure and chemistry of the Earth and its rocks, and the interaction of volcanic materials with
air and water. To really understand volcanoes it is necessary to study a number of sciences, but
the most important is geology - the study of the Earth's rocks.
The Preparation
High School -To be prepared to study geology at a university or college, students must take math and science
classes when they are in high school and even in junior high school. It seems unfair, but it is true,
that how much you learn when you are in grade school and high school usually determines what
you will be able to do during the rest of your life. If you want to become a volcanologist you
must concentrate on your classes, even if other kids seem to spend all their time with sports or
dating or other pastimes. Don't be a nerd; enjoy life, but also be serious about your studies!
Here is a list of the types of courses to take in high school so that you will have the option to
study volcanoes later in college if you want to. Take biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth
science if available. Take algebra, trigonometry, and pre-calculus. And learn BASIC or some
other computer language so you can use a computer without being frightened by it.
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Here at the Southwest Volcano Research Centre (SWVRC) located in Apache Junction, Arizona
in the United States, we have an “Educational Outreach” programme which is specifically geared
towards high school and college level students.
The SWVRC “Educational Outreach”
programme is designed to help high school and first or second year college students an
opportunity to study, work and make actual measurements using sophisticated instrumentation
on both active and inactive volcanoes.
University –
Where should you go to college? Very, very few colleges offer even one course in volcanology,
but the basic information you need is taught in geology courses at many universities. Major in
geology, taking courses in geomorphology, geophysics, geochemistry, petrology, structural
geology, sedimentary geology, and remote sensing. If you go to a college in the American west,
or in Hawaii or Alaska, you will probably see a lot of volcanoes and volcanic rocks during
geology field trips.
If you want to be a volcanologist you can't stop with just a Bachelor of Science degree in
geology. With a B.S. your career choices are pretty much limited to being an assistant or
technician. This might get you a chance to map volcanoes or analyze rock chemistry under
somebody else's direction, but your salary will be low and you will not have the chance to decide
for yourself what volcano problems to study. You have to go back to school to get a Doctor of
Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in geology. This will probably take four to five years of additional
study and research after you have completed a B.S.
The good thing about getting a Ph.D. is that you will be working with a group of other students
and professors who are as excited about volcanoes as you are. After about a year of classes you
will probably become involved in volcano research, and at the end of your graduate student days
you will know more about one volcano or some volcanic process than anyone else in the world !
You will write scientific papers and present talks to other volcanologists at scientific meetings.
And you will start to look for a job.
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The Work –
Many volcanologists in the US work for the U.S. Geological Survey, the government agency
responsible for studying the nation's geology and finding ways to utilize geologic resources, and
ways to mitigate potential geologic hazards. The USGS operates three volcano observatories.
The oldest is in Hawaii, on the rim of the Kilauea volcano. Volcanologists there predict, monitor,
and closely study the eruptions of Kilauea and the nearby Mauna Loa volcanoes. Another
volcano observatory is at Vancouver, Washington, where Mt. St. Helens and other Cascade
volcanoes are monitored. The third observatory is in Alaska, where geologists from the USGS
and the University of Alaska work together to monitor the 100 active Alaskan volcanoes.
Dr. Jean-Paul Toutain, SWVRC
Principal Research Geochemist, takes
gas samples from volcano Merapi in
Indonesia.
Dr. R. B. Trombley, SWVRC Principal
Research Volcanologist, takes water
temperature readings from a volcanic
spring on volcano Mt. Pelée on
Martinique in the Caribbean.
In addition to working with the USGS, some volcanologists work in state geologic surveys,
especially in states like Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington, where volcanoes are
plentiful. But probably the largest number of volcanologists teach in university geology
departments. Besides teaching occasional volcanology courses, most volcanologists teach other
traditional courses such as petrology, geochemistry, and geophysics. University faculty have to
be on campus most of the year, and thus they tend to do volcanic fieldwork during summer
vacations.
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Dr. R. B. Trombley, SWVRC Principal
Research Volcanologist, helps
replaces a seismometer on Mt. Pelée
on Martinique in the Caribbean.
Checking one of the many seismographs
of volcano Tungurahua in Ecuador.
It’s Never to Early to Start !
Yes, it is never too early to start your career in the geosciences. Even when you are in
elementary school you can study and read books about geology, rocks, volcanoes, earthquakes
and other type of geology subjects. Any one subject can set you off on a career goal that
becomes a dream.
One of the things that we do here at the Southwest Volcano Research Centre (SWVRC) is to
allow high school students and 1st and 2nd year college students to have an opportunity to work
on both active and dormant volcanoes. They perform experiments in the field, on real volcanoes,
using sophisticated equipment such as lasers, digital compasses, transit-levels, magnetometers
and many other types of field equipment.
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Here are a few examples and testimonials of SWVRC staff members who have been working in
the field on volcanoes:
Daniel J. Fredrickson
SWVRC Volcano Technician
Senior, Apache Junction High
School
Dan says -- “The work here involves sciences that
every student will study at one point in school. It largely
involves Geology and Earth Science. Working in the
field on volcanoes is the part I enjoy most. It gives me
an amazing feeling to stand there and think that there
was an eruption here- or that there will soon be one.
Math like Trigonometry seems to make much more sense
to me since I have used it at SWVRC. I have also
become better at analyzing critical data or details. The
work I do with thermal imaging just taken from
satellites is incredible. Seeing areas under the volcanoes
warming up (which can be tricky at times) is important
in forecasting eruptions, and probably the most
important thing I can do. It has taught me to see more
than it looks like is there.”
Dan is shown here getting ready to take a
reading on the magnetometer.
Andy R. Morckel
SWVRC Technical Assistant
Junior, Apache Junction
High School
Andy says -- “I like working with SWVRC and we get
to go on exciting trips. I've already been on three trips,
to Amboy Crater in California, the Superstitions &
Sunset Crater, both in Arizona. Some things we did on
these trips was deformation measurements with a
Transit-Level, took some GPS readings with a GPS
unit, did laser measurements, and gathered lava
samples. It is really fun to go on these trips, and I
learned a lot. I also double as the SWVRC safety, and
medical technician. “
Andy takes a measurement using the
Transit-Level while Dan looks on.
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And finally, remember, If you never have a dream, you can never have one come true !
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