2023 AURORA/NordVulk Summer School in Iceland: “Volcanoes and Science Communication (VOLCOM)” June 17-23, 2025

TARGET: The Volcanoes and Science Communication (VOLCOM) Summer School is primarily intended for PhD students and post-doctoral candidates studying active volcanoes. Participants from AURORA Universities have priority (see list here: https://aurora-universities.eu/members/), but the school is open to a limited number of international participants. Participants will be selected based on the relevance of the course for their current research activities, as well as their affiliation.

AIM: The school aims to provide an opportunity for volcanologists to advance their skills in science communication in preparation for future positions at observatories or within academia. Science communication is becoming increasingly important in times of constant exposure to various media channels, also as a mean to prevent severe impact of local communities, founded in misconceptions or poor science communication. We will bring together leading experts in volcano research and monitoring with science communication experts. We stress that the aim is to develop highly focused, effective science communication skills in times of crisis as a discipline required to effectively utilize and transfer the scientific knowledge of experts to decision makers and the general public, for the greater good of the affected community.

SET UP: The school will be comprised of 4 components:

A: Lectures and workshops targeting science communication in times of crisis, with emphasis on communication of uncertainties. A wide range of monitoring techniques in active volcanic settings will be covered, as well as accessing volcanic hazards and risk mapping. The students will be equipped with a broad background for an integrated data interpretation and a mindset of how to communicate scenarios to stakeholders.

B: Case stories on past volcanic unrest or eruptions, where science communication has played a major role.

C: Group work, with science communication tasks, applied to geological data from selected case studies

D: Field trips to locations, where volcanic events in recent years have greatly affected the local population (1973 Heimaey, 2010 Eyjafjallajökull, 2023-2024 Grindavík/Svartsengi)

PLEASE APPLY by sending an email with the topic VOLCOM attaching a one-page justification for your participance to rikke@hi.is. Deadline: April 15^th, 2025. Applicants will be notified by May 1^st

Confirmed lecturers:

Elda Russo Ermolli, University Federico II of Naples, Italy

Gro B. M. Pedersen, Icelandic Meteorological Office, Iceland

Halldór Geirsson, University of Iceland, Iceland

Kaelin DeLong, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

Paola Petrosino, University Federico II of Naples, Italy

Rosa Di Maio, University Federico II of Naples, Italy

Rikke Pedersen, University of Iceland, Iceland

Simon William Matthews, University of Iceland, Iceland

Tessa Roedema, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

Willemine L. Willems, Rathenau Institute, Netherlands

Registration for participants: 200 Euro

- includes lunch, all field trips and accommodation for international participants in twin rooms on campus. Participants must arrange their own travel to and from Iceland.

Organizing committee:

Rikke Pedersen, NordVulk, University of Iceland, Iceland

Paola Petrosino, University Federico II of Naples, Italy

Willemine Willems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Rathenau Institute, Netherlands

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