Costanza Bonadonna

Costanza Bonadonna
Costanza Bonadonna in 2019
Born	1971 (age 52–53)
Alma mater	University of Bristol (PhD) University of Pisa
Known for	Volcanology
Awards	Woman Scientist of the Month[1]
Scientific career
Fields	Physical Volcanology Volcanic ash Hazard assessment Geological risk[2]
Institutions	University of Geneva University of Hawaiʻi University of South Florida Montserrat Volcano Observatory
Thesis	Models of tephra dispersal (2001)
Website	www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/CERG-C/about/people/bonadonna/

Costanza Bonadonna (born 1971) is an Italian earth scientist who is a Full Professor of volcanology and geological risk at the University of Geneva.^[2][3][4] In 2020, she was named President-Elect of volcanology, geochemistry, and petrology at the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

Early life and education

Costanza Bonadonna became interested in science and nature as a child.^[1] In fact, she was raised in Pisa (Italy) and she became aware at an early age about the impact of natural risks.^[1] When she was at high school Prof. Franco Barberi came to deliver a lecture in which he discussed the science of risk reduction during volcanic eruptions.^[1] She realised that whilst volcanic eruptions can be devastating for communities, they can bring benefits, including fertilisation of soils.^[1] She appreciated, therefore, the importance of developing strategies for sustainable development of communities exposed to natural risks. She earned her laurea in geology at the University of Pisa.^[5] She moved to the University of Bristol for her PhD,^[6] where her research investigated models for the dispersal of tephra.

Research and career

Bonadonna's research investigates physical volcanology, volcanic ash, hazard assessment and geological risk^[2][7][8][9] After completing her PhD, Bonadonna was appointed as a school of ocean and earth science and technology (SOEST) young investigator at the University of Hawaiʻi. Bonadonna develops computational models to describe sedimentation from volcanic plumes.^[3] Soon after she moved to the University of South Florida.^[10] Since 2007, she has served as Director of the Assessment and management of Geological and Climate-Related Risks (CERG-C) programme at the University of Geneva. In 2018, she was appointed Vice Dean of the Faculty of Science.^[10]

Bonadonna research focuses on the modeling of particle sedimentation from volcanic plumes (so-called tephra or pyroclastic sediments), the development of new methodologies for the characterisation of tephra-fallout deposits as well as the development of probabilistic strategies to assess the hazard of tephra-fallout deposits.^[10] She is also active in the linkage between model development and risk assessment and mitigation in the effort of bridging the gap between scientists and non-scientists (e.g. emergency management planners, government officials). She has been involved in many international projects for the assessment and quantification of volcanic hazard and risk.^[10] She was named President-Elect of Volcanology, Geochemistry, and Petrology section at the American Geophysical Union in 2020.^[11]

Awards and honours

• 2001 Geological Society of London president's award^[12]
• 2004 International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) outstanding recent graduate
• 2004 Geological Society of America Doris M. Curtis Outstanding Woman in Science Award^[13]
• 2005 University of South Florida outstanding faculty research achievement award^[14]
• 2020 European Platform of Women Scientists woman scientist of the month^[1]
• 2020 Italian Rotary Clubs for Sciences International Galileo Galilei Award^[15]

Selected publications

• Bonadonna, C.; Houghton, B. F. (1 June 2005). "Total grain-size distribution and volume of tephra-fall deposits". Bulletin of Volcanology. 67 (5): 441–456. Bibcode:2005BVol...67..441B. doi:10.1007/s00445-004-0386-2. ISSN 1432-0819. S2CID 53386767.
• Bonadonna, C.; Ernst, G. G. J.; Sparks, R. S. J. (1 May 1998). "Thickness variations and volume estimates of tephra fall deposits: the importance of particle Reynolds number". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 81 (3): 173–187. Bibcode:1998JVGR...81..173B. doi:10.1016/S0377-0273(98)00007-9. ISSN 0377-0273.
• Bonadonna, C.; Connor, C. B.; Houghton, B. F.; Connor, L.; Byrne, M.; Laing, A.; Hincks, T. K. (2005). "Probabilistic modeling of tephra dispersal: Hazard assessment of a multiphase rhyolitic eruption at Tarawera, New Zealand". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 110 (B3): B03203. Bibcode:2005JGRB..110.3203B. doi:10.1029/2003JB002896. ISSN 2156-2202.

References