Conference to Commemorate Soufriere Hills Volcano Eruptions at 25 Years this July

Soufriere Hills Volcano from Salem. (Nerissa Golden Photo)

July 2020 will be 25 years since the start of eruptions at the Soufrière Hills Volcano.

The Montserrat Volcano Observatory which was established to monitor the volcano will be commemorating the anniversary with a five-day conference July 20 – 24, 2020. The conference will look at the science and the social impacts of the eruptions to both the community of Montserrat and the international community of scientists studying volcanoes and disaster risk reduction in the last 25 years.

The theme for the conference is Opportunities from Disaster: Lessons from 25 years living with the volcano, with a view to not only discussing what has happened in the past but looking towards the future of living with the volcano.

Four field trips exploring the geology and impacts of the eruption and life on a small volcanic island in the Caribbean are also included in the packed programme.

Abstracts are still being accepted until March 31, 2020 for the four symposiums at the conference.  Symposium 1 – Science into Disaster Risk Reduction will focus on the physical sciences such as physical volcanology, geophysics, geochemistry and petrology. Organisers are also seeking contributions highlighting the practical implementation of science for disaster risk reduction such as developments in hazard mapping and event trees that support decision making and foster a prepared populace together with rational development strategies in multi-hazard environments.

Symposium 2 – Learning from the Past will explore how geological and archeological history, as well memories can play a role in promoting education for future generations. Contributions that demonstrate lessons from Montserrat and the wider Caribbean are particularly welcome.

Symposium 3 – Cultures of Communication is to look at how technology and information sharing has played a role in how the MVO has evolved from 1995. Symposium 4 – Resources for future resilience

Important dates are as follows:

  • Abstract Deadline – March 31, 2020
  • Pre-registration Deadline – April 30, 2020
  • Conference Programme – Available May 20, 2020
  • SHV25 Conference – July 20-24, 2020

Get the full details in the latest circular – http://shv25.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/02/2nd_Circular_Final_PrintVersion.pdf

Online registration form – http://shv25.com/online-submissions/register-for-shv25/

Get more information on SHV25 at www.shv25.com

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