This award will support the participation of approximately 20 students in the Cities on Volcanoes 4 meeting that is to be held in Quito, Ecuador in January 2006. The meeting represents an outstanding opportunity for students to gain insight into volcanic hazard and response through mixing with an international group of emergency managers, volcanologists, educators, sociologists, psychologists, economists and city planners. In this regard, the meeting extends beyond traditional, process-focused themes and considers the integration of physical science with social and health sciences, engineering, hazard monitoring and emergency response. As such, it provides students of volcanology a unique opportunity to understand and assess the relevance of their study and research within the context of the hazard that volcanoes pose to local populations, as well as probable responses and reactions during crises.
In terms of broader impacts, participation in this conference will help volcanology graduate students to be more aware of the role of their disciplinary study within the context of hazard mitigation. The conference will offer unique early-career opportunities for students to mix with hazard managers and monitoring agencies, and thus gain insights into the needs of these user groups.
