High commendation was bestowed on The University of the West Indies (The UWI) from the world’s leading global volcanological association. The regional University’s Seismic Research Centre (UWI SRC), located at the St. Augustine Campus, was announced as winner of the 2022 Volcanic Surveillance and Crisis Management Award presented by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) on Thursday, June 16. Director of the UWI SRC, Dr. Erouscilla Joseph accepted the award in Heraklion, Greece during the Association’s 11th Cities on Volcanoes Conference (COV11).

The prestigious, peer-nominated accolade, awarded biennially, recognises the Caribbean team of experts at the UWI SRC for its outstanding management of the 2020-2021 eruption of La Soufrière in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The nomination was based primarily on the UWI SRC’s response, made particularly challenging within the context of the global pandemic.  Due to UWI SRC’s state-of-the-art monitoring techniques, robust partnerships and timely communication with stakeholders, approximately 16,000 people were evacuated ahead of the explosive phase with no reported serious injuries or casualties.

Click the below link to view the FST’s public lecture in collaboration with the University’s Seismic Research Centre (UWI SRC), ‘Ash in the Air, Eruption in Effect: La Soufrière, St. Vincent 2020-2021’

Photo caption: L-R are President of the IAVCEI, Dr. Patrick Allard, Director of the UWI SRC, Dr. Erouscilla Joseph, UWI SRC-Montserrat Volcano Observatory Volcanologist, Dr. Karen Pascal, U.S. Geological Survey and Award Nomination Panellist, Dr. Jacob Lowernstern and Professor of Volcanology from University of East Anglia and Award Nomination Panellist, Jenni Barclay during the presentation of the 2022 Volcanic Surveillance and Crisis Management Award from the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior on Thursday, June 16 in Heraklion, Greece.