2012 International Volcanological Field School begins
June 1, 2012
On the centennial of the Novarupta eruption – a cataclysmic event that created the
Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes in southwest Alaska – a group of 19 students and scientists
will embark on the summer’s first hike to the massive volcano.
The group is participating in the 2012 International Volcanological Field School,
a two-week volcanology field class in Katmai National Park that kicks off June 3.
Students will learn about volcanology in a hands-on, extreme context, exploring key
sites in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, the locale of two of the largest volcanic
eruptions of the last century. The experience is unique and takes a tremendous amount
of planning and preparation, according to Pavel Izbekov, a research associate with
the Alaska Volcano Observatory at the Geophysical Institute. Izbekov is leading the field school with John Eichelberger, U.S. Geological Survey
volcano hazards program coordinator.
Read more about it on the online UAF newsroom.