Professor, School of Earth Sciences
Matt’s passion for volcanology is infectious. His ability to convey complex topics is aided by his enthusiasm for the subject. His own research experiences allow him to speak anecdotally and truthfully about phenomena that he has witnessed. Making the stories so incredibly engaging. He is also very honest, telling us that he maybe didn’t get something right first time, but this is how he worked around it, giving us all a sense of hope that we too can find our way and thus keeps so many people engaged with the subject.
In Guatemala, his love for the country and its people added hugely to the experience. He spoke excellent Spanish and included us all in such enjoyable experiences. He would show us his favourite geological oddities and introduced us to areas of high cultural importance through connections he has gleaned due to his enthusiasm and interest in sharing with students.
We also felt we could and should think creatively and not worry if the answer is wrong- Matt puts forward that we should think creatively and it is ok to be wrong. This allowed us to develop as scientists and improve our observational skills.
Matt adapted the field course to permit my inclusion. Carefully outlining the distances, elevation, duration and energy expenditure each day- allowing me to take ownership of my decision to partake fully or partially. Matt also flew a drone to give differing perspectives of the outcrops and tasked students to collect data from physically inaccessible places, allowing all students to be a part of the field trip as a collaborative team.
