Join us for Volcano Views & Brews lecture series with the Mt St Helens Institute!

This months topic: Explosive Volcanism

Presentation begins at 6:30 p.m. - Join us anytime after 5:00 p.m. for food and drink. $5 suggested donation.

Have you ever wondered how volcanologists keep an eye on potentially dangerous volcanoes, and respond to explosive activity? From Hawaii to the Pacific Northwest and beyond, styles of explosive volcanism vary almost as wildly as the people who study them. In this Views n' Brews we will discuss the new technologies and time-tested methods that have transformed our modern understanding of volcanic eruptions. We will examine some of the big-picture themes driving volcano research, including the mystery of volcanic lightning. And with the help of a live demonstration, peer into the guts of a volcanic plume to see exactly what geologists are looking for during real-time observations of active eruptions.

Dr. Alexa Van Eaton is a geologist with the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory based in Vancouver, Washington, where volcanoes from Washington to California are investigated and monitored around the clock. Alexa began her research career in New Zealand working on the stratigraphy and dynamics of the youngest supereruption on the planet, which occurred at Taupo volcano about 25,000 years ago. She returned to the USA in 2012 to focus on two aspects: (1) unraveling the timeline of powerful eruptions from the geological record of Mount St. Helens and Glacier Peak, and (2) developing methods to detect, characterize, and forecast the hazards of volcanic ash operationally. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon, where she is an avid gardener, mushroom forager, and of course a rock jock.