SUNDAY 14 JULY 2019 – UWI TODAY
15
CAMPUS NEWS
Q: How did the idea for this workshop come about?
VM:
Having strong networks in academia is very
important if you work in a specialised field like
volcanology. I realised this a few years ago when I
was working on natural hazard projects in the Asia-
Pacific region. I was looking for opportunities for
my colleagues in Papua New Guinea to engage in
international forums. Given the cost associated with
travel, the vast majority of attendees at volcanology
conferences are from North America and Europe, so
people from countries like Papua New Guinea wouldn’t
get to take advantage of these types of opportunities.
So the idea came about to build a network that would
break down these barriers.
Q: Who were the attendees of the workshop?
VM:
The workshop was attended by scientists
representing 20 countries, including volcanologists
from LMICs such as Argentina, Belgium, Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala,
Indonesia, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Papua New
Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Trinidad and
Tobago, the United States and Vanuatu. Participants
were representatives of national government
organisations, volcano observatories, and academic
institutes.
Q: Name some of the challenges facing these
volcanologists and LMICs in general?
VM:
Limited financial resources are at the top of the
list, and a lack of facilities for data analysis, as well as
limited human resources. At any given institute there
is a small number of employees so there are limits in
both the breadth of expertise and the ability to travel
overseas, particularly in a volcano observatory setting,
where a minimum number of scientists is required at all
times for safety reasons.
Over 60per cent of active volcanoes in the last 10,000 years
are located in Low-to-Middle-
IncomeCountries (LMICs). Hereactivevolcanoes aremonitoredandstudiedbydedicated local
scientists.Manyof thesehave significantly contributed toour understandingof howvolcanoes
work. Yet the vast majority of scientific work presented in journals and conferences is led by
researchers from countries outside of LMICs. What’s wrong with this picture?
Last month, The UWI Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC), together with volcanologists
and scientists from across the globe, worked to address this imbalance in representation
at a workshop discussing the challenges and opportunities in undertaking volcanology
Workshop
participants
represented 20
countries from
all corners of
the globe
Another challenge is international collaborators. In
certain cases, not all collaborators establish mutually
beneficial partnerships, resulting in researchers
undertaking work in a region without consulting local
scientists. This is a big obstacle during a volcanic crisis,
when international researchers make comments to the
public without realising the possible impact this can
have on these critical relationships.
Q: How will the community-driven network address
issues discussed in the workshop?
VM:
Workshop members worked together to provide a
solution for a challenge that has affected most countries
– issues arising from engagement with international
collaborators. We developed a set of best-practice
guidelines for engagement when undertaking volcano
science in LMICs. These guidelines will be circulated
amongst the volcanological community for comment,
with a view to becoming IAVCEI-endorsed protocols.
Q: What implications will the network have for
volcano science in Caribbean islands and other LMICs
globally?
VM:
The overarching aim of the network is to foster
international partnerships with and between LMICs. The
network will advocate for volcano scientists in LMICs
at the global level to gain access to valuable resources
for scientific research and to ensure a voice in strategic
discussions. Volcanologists in the Caribbean, as well as
other regions, will be able to improve the scientific work
they undertake and to lobby for tools and research that
are applicable to their specific work programmes.
Q: What role does/will The UWI play in this network?
VM:
UWI is a key participant in this network through
my role as Chair and through the involvement of other
scientists at The UWI-SRC. UWI has demonstrated its
support for the network by co-convening this workshop,
as well as its willingness to reach out to other LMICs.
research, monitoring, and risk mitigation in an environment where resources are
constrained.
The focus was on the advancement of volcano science through country
partnerships, by creating a community-driven network (as part of IAVCEI – the
International Association for Volcanologists) to support scientists from LMICs.
UWI Today
interviewed IAVCEI Network Chair and UWI-SRC volcanologist
based at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) Dr Victoria Miller about the
workshop’s discussions and outcomes.
Bridging the International Gap in Volcano Science
This workshop was co-convened and funded by The UWI-SRC, IAVCEI Developing Nations Network, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG),
US Agency for International Development (USAID),Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Université Libre De Bruxelles (ULB).
IAVCEI Network Chair and Montserrat Volcano Observatory Volcanologist Dr Victoria Miller (standing) with workshop attendees.
PHOTOS: COURTESY UWI SEISMIC RESEARCH CENTRE (UWI-SRC)
