neat on suite: meet a "volcanologist"

Posted by Marci Hotsenpiller Sep 24, 2008

I believe Alexandra Matiella Novak must have one of the coolest business cards in the world.

She’s a Volcanologist.

This Suite101 writer just completed her PhD at Michigan Technological University in the department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences. Her research area is volcanology, specifically the monitoring of volcanic eruption ash clouds in the upper atmosphere using satellite data.

Apparently these ash clouds are extremely hazardous to aircraft. In 1989, a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 747 encountered an ash cloud from an Alaskan volcano at 25,000 feet. According to Alexandra:

“The aircraft lost power to all four engines and the pilots weren't able to restart the engines until they glided out of the ash cloud. The plane was reported to have passed through the 13,000 foot mark before all four engines were restarted. That's a harrowing 12,000 foot descent with no power.”

I used to think it would be neat to say “private investigator” when people ask what I do for a living. Scratch that. In my next life I want to be a Volcanologist. Check out more of Alexandra’s articles here on Suite101.