Dr. Tivonne Howe Earns PhD for Groundbreaking Research on Volcanic Gases in the Lesser Antilles

On May 7, 2025, Dr. Tivonne Howe successfully defended her doctoral thesis at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, marking a significant milestone not only in her academic journey but also for Montserrat. Dr. Howe is now the island’s first female volcanologist.

Her PhD research focused on the behaviour of carbon dioxide and other volcanic gases emitted during eruptions in the Lesser Antilles, offering fresh insight into how these gases are stored and released before and during volcanic activity.

Using melt inclusions, which are tiny pockets of magmatic glass and gas bubbles trapped inside crystals, Dr. Howe reconstructed the conditions inside the magma chambers beneath Soufrière Hills Volcano in Montserrat (1995–2010) and La Soufrière Volcano in St. Vincent (2020–2021). These microscopic clues allowed her to estimate the amounts of water vapour, carbon dioxide, and other gases released during the eruptions, and to better understand the processes that lead to explosive volcanic events.

Her work contributes to improving hazard forecasting in the Eastern Caribbean, where active volcanoes pose an ongoing threat to communities. A portion of her findings, particularly on H₂O and CO₂ at Soufrière Hills, was published in collaboration with Dr. Thomas Christopher, Dr. Séverine Moune, and Professor Hugh Tuffen.

Dr. Howe joins a distinguished group of Montserratian volcanologists, including Dr. Graham Ryan, Director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, and Dr. Thomas “TC” Christopher.

Her accomplishment is a proud moment for Montserrat and a powerful example of the island’s contribution to global volcanology, led by scientists with deep personal ties to the landscapes they study.