Science@Work
Coolest job ever. No, make that the hottest job ever. As a volcanologist, Tricia Nadeau has a front-row seat to erupting volcanoes. Recently, these active volcanoes have included Hawai`i’s Mauna Loa that erupted in November 2022 and K lauea that erupted in June 2023. K lauea’s recent event was the fourth in a string of eruptions since 2020.
Nadeau researches the geologic impacts of volcanoes and the gases they produce. Her office is in one of the most beautiful, and geographically diverse, places in the world—Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawai`i.
Hot molten lava and explosive displays are part of the job. The volcanoes can be unpredictable, making Nadeau's schedule sometimes irregular. We caught up with her early in the morning the week