Susanna JENKINS

The central theme of my research focusses on quantifying and reducing the impact of volcanic activity on people and the assets upon which they depend, such as buildings, infrastructure, and agriculture. Volcanic hazard and risk is an emerging research field that relies upon sparse empirical, theoretical, and experimental data in order to provide advice to stakeholders before, during, and after a crisis. My research tackles the challenges inherent in forecasting hazard and risk in a data-poor environment through field studies, numerical modelling, and the statistical interrogation of large datasets.

Key research areas are:

  • Reconstruction of past eruptions and impacts through numerical modelling, remote sensing, post-eruption field studies, and the scientific analysis of historical reports;
  • Statistical analysis of eruption datasets to provide forecasts of future eruption style, frequency, and magnitude for volcanoes across different spatial and temporal scales;
  • Probabilistic volcanic hazard and risk assessment through the development and application of numerical models coupled with statistical approaches to managing uncertainty, such as Bayes theorem;
  • Quantification of the physical vulnerability and fragility of societal assets (e.g. humans, buildings, infrastructure, agriculture) to volcanic hazards through pre-, syn- and post-eruption impact studies (both field-based and remotely sensed);
  • The development and analysis of global impact databases.
Education:

BSc (Hons) (Geology) University of Leeds 1999
MSc (Geophysical Hazards) University College London 2004
PhD (Physical Geography) Macquarie University 2009

Professional Experience:

Susanna Jenkins is a Principal Investigator with the Volcano Group at Earth Observatory Singapore. Her research focusses on volcanic hazard and risk assessment. She studied Geology and Geophysical Hazards in the UK (University of Leeds and University College London, respectively) and received her PhD from Macquarie University in Australia. Susanna held a post-doctoral position in Cambridge and an AXA research fellowship post at the University of Bristol prior to joining NTU.

Publications: