Heather Handley - Volcano Scientist

Heather Handley is a volcanologist and has worked on some of the most active volcanoes on the planet. She is a passionate science communicator with extensive media experience and a champion for equity, diversity and inclusion.

Heather uses the chemistry of volcanic rocks and their minerals to better understand how volcanoes work and what triggers volcanic eruptions in order to reduce volcanic risk. Heather is also interested in people’s perceptions of volcanic risk, and how we can advance our understanding of past volcanic impacts on humans and the environment by integrating volcanological and Indigenous knowledge.

Heather is an Associate Professor of volcanic hazards and geoscience communication at the University of Twente, an Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University and Honorary Associate Professor at Macquarie University. Heather is a UNESCO Project Leader for IGCP 685 Geology for Sustainable Development.

Heather holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geology from The University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Volcano Geochemistry from Durham University in the UK. She was awarded an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship in 2012 to advance our understanding of the timescales of Earth-system processes. Heather was Co-Editor-in-Chief of Earth and Planetary Science Letters from 2019 to 2021 and Governing Councillor of the Geological Society of Australia 2020-2022.

Heather is driven to communicate the critical role of geoscience in our sustainable future. She is Co-Founder and Director of the Earth Futures Festival an international film and video festival and co-author of the UNESCO-AGU book “Geoscience in Action: Advancing Sustainable Development”.

Heather is a Science and Technology Australia 2021-2022 Superstar of STEM. She has led and participated in geoscience outreach events and workshops. She frequently writes for The Conversation and has given more than 100 television, radio and print interviews on volcanoes. Heather has featured in documentaries for National Geographic, Discovery Science and on RMC Découverte and is currently writing a popular science and history book on Australia’s Volcanoes for CSIRO Publishing.

Heather strongly advocates for Women in STEM, diversity and inclusion and is Co-Founder and Inaugural President of the Women in Earth and Environmental Science Australasia (WOMEESA) Network.