Public engagement

I’m committed to bringing volcanology into the public sphere through lectures, media work, creative collaboration, and public-policy engagement. My goal is to help people understand volcanic risk and to support informed decision-making. 

A lot of my recent public engagement has come through the new charity which I co-founded, please see this page:

https://www.globalvolcanoriskalliance.com/news/in-the-media

Also see recent featured articles based on my work: 

• When sleeping volcanoes wake (AEON) 

• Ten implausible sounding scenarios for 2025 (Economist) 

• Should we geoengineer volcanoes? (BBC Future) 

• The Anti-Catastrophe League: The pioneers and visionaries on a quest to save the world (Book 2025)

Public Talk and podcast examples:

• Watch the video of my talk: How real is the return of a volcanic winter? From the Tipping Points business conference in Lithuania, 2023.

• The Supermassive Podcast, Episode: 'The End of the World'. (2024)

If you wish to contact me about interviews, media appearance or talks, please reach out:

e: m.cassidy.1@bham.ac.uk 

Other public engagements:

• Co-wrote and edited the script for Kurzegsagt YouTube video. Kurzgesagt: The biggest eruptions that changed Earth forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXb02MQ78yQ  (>10 million views)

• Performance of a science lecture within 'Volcano' - a professional theatre production by Clerke and Joy, which premiered at the Brighton Festival 2013. Previous tour venues include Eastleigh, London, Cardiff and Reims (France). As well as performances at Shoreditch Town Hall (London) and at the Cambridge Science festival in 2014.

• Featured on BBC radio podcasts 'Science in action' and 'Inside Science' about our work on Krakatau.

• Science talk at the Bestival music festival, Isle of Wight in the Bestiversity tent, involving audience participation, experiments and magic tricks.

• Consulted with actor Sacha Dhawan about his role as a volcanologist in the BBC drama, 'The Deep'.

• Some papers featured in the international press and social media.

  • Huge eruptions time to prepare

  • Volcano explosivity paper

  • Vulcanian explosions paper

Read some of my previous blog posts here.