Jelis J. Sostre Cortés is currently a PhD candidate at the Georgia Institute of Technology, working with Dr. Frances Rivera Hernández in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Her research interests lie in surface processes, geomorphology, and geohazards. For her PhD, she is focusing on ground-truthing various remote sensing datasets in planetary analogs to enhance the understanding of surface processes and improve scientific return. Jelis has conducted research at a variety of field sites, including volcanoes, lava tubes, dune fields, and mountainous fluvial systems. Beyond her research, she loves to have fun dancing, baking delicious treats, getting creative with crafting, gaming, and adventuring in the great outdoors!

Coming Soon

Chloe Anderson is an ESS Geoscience student at the University of Washington and will be attending Idaho State University for her Master's of Geology program in Fall 2026. She currently specializes in volcanology and hazards communication. She enjoys writing poetry, playing guitar, and painting volcanoes!

I am a fluvial geomorphologist dealing with different water-related issues. I work on different environments from hot semiarid and arid desert climates of Israel to former and present glacial terrains in North America. My current work includes extreme loess erosion following Storm Byron, the effects of desalination water flow injection on ephemeral channel morphology, suspended and bedload transport monitoring of volcanic riverscapes using a variety of field methods, transmission losses, dam-break flood geomorphology, paleoflood hydrology and channel restoration. In recent years, I attempted to take data collected in the field and analyzed to go beyond the ordinary project report and publication in academic journals a step further. This includes presentation of scientific data to various regulating authorities in order to affect actual decision-making and policy during an era of climate change coupled with intense human pressure on natural riverine systems. In my spare time I grow fruit trees, fly fishing, raising outdoor fish using solar technology and I also volunteer with injured wild animals.

Matthew Blackett is an Associate Professor of Natural Hazards at Coventry University, UK. In his current role, he leads 15 environmental degree programmes, whilst maintaining active research interests in volcanic hazards and the use of satellite remote sensing to monitor volcanic activity. Matt's research has focused on volcanic thermal anomalies, eruption monitoring, and the application of Earth Observation data to understanding volcanic processes and hazards. His favourite week of the year is when he takes his undergraduate students to Mount Etna, Sicily, where they investigate a range of hazards in one of Europe's most active volcanic regions. When not hiking or enjoying outdoor pursuits, Matt can be found in the gym contemplating his next adventure. Although no stranger to the United States, Matt will be visiting Oregon for the first time and is eager to learn more about the Cascadia Subduction Zone and Mount Hood.

Joaquín Bucher is a geologist, researcher at the Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas (CIG), CONICET-UNLP, and professor at Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina. He holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata. His research focuses on the interplay between volcanism, tectonics, sedimentation, and climate in active subduction zones, with extensive field experience across the Patagonian and Central Andes of Argentina.

Priyanka Dhamala is an incoming Ph.D. student in Geosciences at Texas Tech University and recently completed her M.S. in Geophysics at Michigan Technological University. Her research focuses on earthquakes, active tectonics, and seismic hazards in the Himalaya, particularly in western Nepal. She is interested in how geological, geophysical, and seismic observations can be combined to understand seismic activity better and support disaster risk reduction and mitigation efforts.
She is excited to join the SZNet Mt. Hood Pilot Project, gain experience in collaborative field research, and learn from scientists with a wide range of backgrounds and expertise.

Micaela García is a structural geologist, Researcher at CONICET, and Associate Professor at the National University of La Plata, Argentina. Her research focuses on deformation processes in continental tectonic systems, particularly the role of structural inheritance, strain partitioning, and fracture networks in controlling the distribution of deformation.
She combines field observations, structural analysis, and digital datasets to investigate the interactions between tectonics, sedimentation, and fluid flow. She is interested in interdisciplinary approaches that link detailed geological observations with broader geodynamic processes. Outside of research, she enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring natural landscapes.

Natália Gauer Pasqualon is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she investigates the lava fountain dynamics of the ongoing Kīlauea eruption using videography-based approaches. She completed two doctoral degrees in Earth Sciences, one at the University of Hawaiʻi (2025) and another at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil (2024), focusing on facies analysis, volcanic stratigraphy, and geochemistry. Her research broadly explores the physical processes that shape volcanic systems and their impacts on landscapes and communities. Outside of research, she enjoys surfing, singing, and playing the guitar.

Luke Gezovich is a recent graduate of the Colorado School of Mines, where he obtained his PhD and MS in geology after receiving his BS from Texas A&M University. His research integrates remote sensing datasets and field observations to quantify and study rivers and fluvial landforms, such as fans and deltas, with an emphasis on how distinct sedimentary processes shape river systems. His experience spans active subduction zones including Chile, Indonesia, and Colombia. Following his PhD, Luke was selected as a SZNet Chile & US Exchange Program fellow at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, where he studied long-term morphological changes in the Maipo River of Central Chile. Through these international collaborations, he examines river geomorphology and the associated natural hazard potential in tectonically active regions, a trajectory he plans to continue through postdoctoral work in geomorphology and sedimentology.

José González Alfaro is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Geophysics at Universidad de Chile. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Catholic University of the North and a PhD in Earth Sciences from University of Chile, and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Hydrogeology from the same university. His research integrates active tectonics, earthquake geology, paleoseismology, coastal geomorphology, and structural geology, with a focus on subduction-zone processes and seismic hazard assessment along the Chilean margin. He has been co-investigator in studies of the San Ramón Fault (Santiago de Chile) and has participated in geoarchaeological research on the northern coast of Chile. He has been a university lecturer at University of Chile since 2019, teaching courses such as Introduction to Geology, Stratigraphy and Dynamic Geomorphology. As Principal Investigator of his Postdoctoral research, he has examined the microseismicity of the Puerto Aldea Fault to evaluate seismic risk in coastal north-central Chile.

Hima Hassenruck-Gudipati is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Sustainability at Southern Oregon University and a geomorphologist studying how rivers, floodplains, and wetlands respond to internal variability and human impacts. Using field methods, remote sensing, and numerical modeling, her research investigates sediment transport, floodplain inundation, and sediment-vegetation interactions. Her work emphasizes a place-based approach. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and holds a Ph.D. in Geosciences from UT Austin and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech.

Omar Hernández Rivas is a PhD student in Hydrologic Sciences at the University of Nevada, Reno. His research focuses on surface processes in volcanic landscapes, using remote sensing, UAV-based photogrammetry, GIS, and field observations to study how landscapes change through erosion and deposition. His interest in geomorphology began during his undergraduate and master’s work at UNAM, where he studied volcanic terrains in Mexico and published his first first-author paper on the Teteltzingo lahar deposit at Citlaltépetl volcano. His current PhD projects focus on the evolution of rills in recently deposited volcanic tephra and the development of topographic ridgelines, with the goal of improving how these processes are represented in landscape evolution models.

Pilar Jeanneret is an Assistant Researcher at the Institute of Nivology, Glaciology and Environmental Sciences (IANIGLA) located in Mendoza, Argentina. She earned her degree in Geology from the National University of La Plata and completed her PhD at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). Her research focuses on landslides in high mountain environments and their timing following glacial retreat, using geochronological methods commonly applied in Quaternary studies, including Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclides on moraines and landslides, and Optically-Stimulated Luminescence on landslide-dammed lake deposits. When she is not hiking through the Andes for research, she is usually there anyways during the weekends.

Roberto Ledda is a Master's student in Tectonics and Volcanology at Roma Tre University, currently completing a one-year Erasmus program at the Universitat de Barcelona. His research interests focus on earthquakes, tectonics, and volcanology, utilizing an approach that combines traditional fieldwork with 3D modeling. After focusing his Bachelor's research on fault kinematics in the Central Apennines, his current studies have expanded to include 3D modeling, geophysics, petroleum geology, and mineral deposits. Beyond his university coursework, he has actively participated in field programs in the Aeolian Islands, first serving as a science communicator in collaboration with INGV, and later attending the Bruno Capaccioni Volcanology School. Driven by a passion for tectonics, volcanology, and outreach, he aims to pursue a master's thesis in an orogenic or continental arc context, a PhD, and a master's degree in science communication. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking in wild mountain landscapes, engaging in science outreach, socializing, and partying to Latin music.

Wilford Loaiza is a geologist and Volcanic Monitoring Analyst at the Colombian Geological Survey, where he works on seismic monitoring of active volcanoes in the Colombian Andes. His interests include volcanic seismology, geohazards, and the seismic detection of surface processes. He is particularly interested in linking operational monitoring with interdisciplinary geohazard research and hopes to pursue graduate studies focused on subduction-zone processes and natural hazards. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, photographing landscapes, and exploring the geology of new places.

Wilman Navarrete is a Ph.D. student in Earth Sciences at Université de Lille (France), where his research focuses on the evolution and dynamics of Permo-Carboniferous volcano-sedimentary basins in the Western Alps. His scientific interests include physical volcanology, volcano-sedimentary processes, volcanic hazard assessment, and tectono-magmatic processes related to the evolution of the Andes and Western Alps. He has conducted geological fieldwork and structural observations in volcanic and tectonically active regions, integrating systematic sampling, statistical analysis of tephra deposits, petrographic characterization, geochemical analyses of volcanic rocks, and geochronological and isotopic studies of magmatic zircons (e.g., U-Pb, Hf-O). He has participated in international research collaborations in Ecuador, France, and Spain, with projects related to eruptive histories, lahars, debris avalanche deposits, and volcanic ash characterization. He also participates as co-supervisor of an undergraduate research project on debris avalanches and neotectonics within the Imbabura UNESCO Global Geopark in collaboration with Yachay Tech University and the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (Ecuador). He has received several scholarships and competitive selections to participate in international fieldwork and scientific activities in France, Spain, and now Oregon, USA. Beyond his academic interests, he enjoys discovering different cultures, especially traveling through Italian cities and meeting people who share new perspectives and knowledge.

Mattia Pistone was awarded BSc in Geological Sciences at Università G. D’Annunzio in Chieti and MSc in Geodynamics, Geophysics, and Volcanology at University of Rome La Sapienza (Italy). He obtained a PhD in Earth Science at ETH-Zurich (Switzerland) after completing the research project on “Physical Properties of Bubble- and Crystal-bearing Magmas”. He conducted postdoctoral research projects on magma transport and chemical evolution in the crustal domain at the University of Bristol (United Kingdom) and the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC, USA). He was a Maître Assistant (lecturer) at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) where he explored the fluid transport in the deep crustal realm of the Western Alps. He is currently Associate Professor in Petrology and Volcanology at the University of Georgia (USA). He is director of the MAGMA MIA Laboratory, one of the seven PIs leading the ICDP DIVE (Drilling the Ivrea-Verbano zonE) project, and an enthusiastic researcher investigating the mechanics of multiphase magmas, eruption dynamics, and volatile cycles in the Earth’s interior using a combination of experimental, analytical, and field-based approaches. He has 18-year research experience, has published 37 articles in international peer-reviewed journals, and, to date, has been the recipient of a total of $6,519,006 in awarded grants from Schengen Area and US.

Isaac Pope is a volcanologist and geospatial scientist developing remote sensing methods to study landscape evolution in volcanic environments, particularly in the northern Cascades and Canary Islands. Awarded Goldwater Scholar and All-USA Academic Team while a student at Centralia College, he transferred to Colorado School of Mines where he focused on geologic hazards analysis in landslide, volcanic, and earthquake applications while he finished his B.S. in Geology and Geological Engineering and M.S. in GIS and Geoinformatics. As a Research Physical Scientist intern at U.S. Geological Survey, Isaac worked on risk communication in the Earthquake Hazards Program. He is now a PhD student and Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellow at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Jane H. Scarrow is a geologist at the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Granada, Spain, specialising in active magmatic systems using igneous petrology, geochemistry, and zircon geochronology. Her research aims to understand processes that control initiation, evolution and termination of volcanic eruptions and to inform strategies for reducing risks related to volcanic hazards. Study of zircon is a central tool in her research, providing insights into magma plumbing systems and eruption timescales. She has extensive international field experience working on active volcanic systems across the Caribbean, Central America, and Europe, including the 2021 La Palma eruption.

Atiya is an Earth Science student at The City College of NY. Her educational focus is on environmental engineering with an emphasis on climate and resilient infrastructure. Atiya is interested in geotechnical systems, hazard modeling, and climate smart design solutions for vulnerable communities. Atiya has a passion for climate-smart design and community resilience. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, riding bikes, going to live performances and watching sci-fi tv and movies.Simon Atiya

Alex Sodeman is an Assistant Professor at Willamette University. His research focuses on examining the sedimentology and stratigraphy of glacial landforms and deposits to reconstruct paleo glacial depositional environments and subglacial dynamics. Outside of geology, he enjoys amateur radio and astrophotography.

Rachel Teasdale is a professor at California State University, Chico in Earth & Environmental Sciences. Rachel’s petrology and volcanology research includes projects in the Lassen region and at Mt. Yana, both in the southern Cascades. She is enthusiastic to share geology with the public and is collaborating with student to develop a hiking app that describes dike and lava flow emplacement processes that helped in the construction of a stratovolcano (Mt. Yana) along with the massive erosion events that shaped the modern edifice.

I am an NSF STEM Education Individual Postdoctoral Fellow hosted at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, and I work in the Earth Sciences Education Research Lab. My research focus is on explicitly taught teamwork process skills and Geosciences experience and academic sustainability of undergraduate and graduate students. In my free time, I enjoy crocheting, reading, and playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends.

Coming Soon

Leif Karlstrom is an associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oregon. He studies fluid motions in and on volcanoes and glaciers, landscape evolution, and geodynamics. Active projects include volcanic hazard forecasting, the impact of large igneous provinces on long-term climate, Critical Zone evolution in volcanic landscapes, and the phenomenology of eruption cycles at long-lived volcanic centers.

Adam Kent is a Professor at Oregon State University with expertise in igneous petrology, volcanology, and high temperature geochemistry. He has been exploring and studying Cascade volcanoes, including Mount Hood, for over 20 years.

34-year career with the Oregon Department of Mineral Industries, with an
emphasis on developing and communicating geologic and geohazard maps to
help society make informed decisions. Also dedicated to building partnerships
to gather and disseminate data and communicating technical information to a
wide-ranging audience.

Brian J. Yanites is an Associate Professor of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences at Indiana University whose research focuses on geomorphology and cascading land-surface hazards. His group integrates field campaigns, UAV/LiDAR and satellite remote sensing, and numerical models to quantify how sediment produced on steep hillslopes is transported, stored, or reorganized within river networks.

I will be helping participants learn and use StraboSpot for mapping and data collection during the 2026 Mt Hood field trip. I recently defended my dissertation in volcano geophysics at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and will be starting as a professor in structural geology at the University of Wyoming this fall. My research is largely field-based and focused on the intersection of magmatic, structural, and tectonic processes. As a result, I frequently use Strabo during my research and teaching.

I am a Research Hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) in Vancouver, WA. My work focuses on measuring and modelling earth surface processes in the aftermath of large-scale disturbances such as volcanic eruptions, debris flows/lahars, and dam failures. I have most recently been working to refine the relationship between the frequency and magnitude of explosive volcanic eruptions and the timescale of recovery in downstream river systems. CVO is always excited to engage in the types of questions you will think about during this upcoming field trip, please reach out if you have thoughts, questions, or data needs.

Saiful Apu is a PhD candidate in Geophysics at the University of Kansas, where his research focuses on tectonic deformation, seismology, and geodesy. His current work integrates offshore seafloor optical fiber strainmeter data with onshore GPS/GNSS observations to better understand slow-slip processes, tremor, and low-frequency earthquakes in subduction zone settings. With academic training in both geology and geophysics, his broader interests span computational geophysics, signal processing, inversion, machine learning, and surface-to-subsurface interpretation. His passion for geoscience is reflected in a wide range of research interests that connect computation, reconnaissance fieldwork, and data processing and interpretation across multiple scales. His background includes tectonics, structural geology, sedimentology, hydrogeology, basin mechanics, seismology, geodesy, and geodynamics. In his work, he combines geophysical, geodetic, and remote sensing techniques with spatial and spatiotemporal analysis to investigate Earth processes from both surface and subsurface perspectives.
Before joining KU, Saiful completed his BS in Geology and MS in Geophysics at the University of Dhaka, where his research included crustal structure, basin analysis, stratigraphy, and geospatial hazard studies. Beyond academics, he enjoys participating in co-curricular and extracurricular activities and values the leadership, communication, and teamwork skills he has developed through multidisciplinary experiences. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, writing, logo design, coding, and playing chess, tennis, and soccer.