Following on from recent successes in which Dr Andrew McGoningle and Dr Tom Pering were awarded a contract to monitor volcanoes in Northern Chile, Dr Pering will be leading a research trip to Vanuatu with Dr Gunnar Mallon. During their time in the South Pacific Ocean nation, they will investigate the effects of the volcano Yasur on the surrounding community on Tanna Island. Dr Pering will continue his work using low-cost volcano monitoring technologies to measure the gases that Yasur releases.
On this campaign, they will be joined by Isobel Bond and Callum Clark, undergraduates at the end of their first year, who have received Royal Geographical Society Alexander awards to act as fieldwork apprentices during the research campaign. Second-year Environmental Science student, Louise Reddy, will also be joining Dr Pering and Dr Mallon, to conduct her dissertation work on water quality surrounding the volcano. Louise and Isobel received further funding through the Laverick-Webster-Hewitt Travelling Fellowships.