About

The CONVERSE Catalyst Center is currently operated by a team of ‘Principals’ who represent the various disciplines in volcano science. Tobias Fischer (The University of New Mexico) and Bruce Houghton (University of Hawaii at Manoa) are the Director and co-Director of the Catalyst Center. The Principals represent their respective science communities and ensure that the interests of these groups are taken into account when we make decisions.

An important aspect of CONVERSE is the partnership with the US Geological Survey. The USGS is broadly represented by Dr. Tina Neal, Director of the Volcano Science Center. Dr. Michelle Coombs, Scientist-in-Charge at AVO and Dr. Seth Moran, research geophysicist at CVO are CONVERSE principals who also form the liaison between USGS and the Center.

Other US partners include federal organizations such as NASA, the Smithsonian Institution and FEMA. International partner organization currently include the University of Iceland, GNS of New Zealand, INGV in Italy, The Ckelar group of Chile and IG of Ecuador.

In addition to the Principals, the physical science and social science communities relevant to volcano science, is represented through 13 task forces. These groups are organized by disciplines and include scientists from the USGS and the international science community. The current charge of the task forces is to provide input from the community for a future vision for their discipline and for setting the priorities of the Center in terms of science-, instrument- and cyber-infrastructure. Task forces and members are listed here:

CONVERSE Discipline Task Forces June 26, 2023

DisciplineLeadUSGS RepMemberMemberMemberMemberMember
Social ScienceMichael LindellSara McBrideCatherine DepariCarson MacPherson-KrutskyJeanette SuttonDavid Johnston
Data ManagementBen AndrewsEmily M-BConnor BaconSu Zhang
Kerstin Lehnert
Geophysics (s, d, infrasound)Greg WaiteWes ThelenKathleen McKeeChristelle WauthierNoel BarstowRonni Grapenthin
GasTobias FischerPeter KellyAlessandro AiuppaSimon CarnMaarten DeMoor
Mineral Clocks/RatesTom SheaKendra LynnMegan NewcombeMadison MyersTeresa Ubide
ModellingHelge GonnermannKyle AndersonJosh CrozierSylvain CharbonnierChiara Montagna
Rapid Geochemistry/SamplingKari CooperMatt LoewenBen AndrewsCheryl GanseckiPenny Wieser
Rapid Impacts/DamageKarl KimDavid DambyMike VorceEric YamashitaSu ZhangYolanda Lin
Remote SensingRob WrightHannah DietterichMary BatoPaul LungrenSimon CarnMatt PritchardBen Phillips
UAV/UASBrett CarrAngie DiefenbachEinat LevMel Rodgers
Eruption DocumentationBruce HoughtonMatt PatrickJacopo TaddeucciErika Radder