Dr. Emma Nicholson

Dr. Emma Nicholson is a volcanologist and associate professor in the Earth Sciences department at University College London. Nicholson’s research interests span geochemistry, petrology, and volcanic hazard assessment. She is passionate about developing hazard monitoring applications, especially through the use of unoccupied aerial systems (UAS), which can be used to investigate physical and chemical processes within volcanic plumes. Doing so brings scientists closer to someday being able to forecast volcanic eruptions and enact an early warning system that would give communities around the world more time to prepare. In 2020, Nicholson joined a team of scientists on an expedition to the South Sandwich Islands to study the chemistry of volcanic gasses released in the volcanic arc. But, harsh weather conditions prevented the summiting of Mount Michael, an active volcano on Saunders Island, which may be the home of a rare volcanic phenomenon. Now, Nicholson leads the expedition to finally summit Mount Michael in search of the world’s eighth lava lake.