Research Team
For job openings and information on how to join my group, please check the Opportunities page!
Research Team
For job openings and information on how to join my group, please check the Opportunities page!
Isabel Smith (she/her) is a postdoctoral research associate working on our European Space Agency project Volcanic Forcing for CMIP. She recently completed her PhD at the University of Reading, focusing on shifts in upper-level atmospheric turbulence within high-resolution global climate models. Check out her recent paper in Climate Dynamics to learn more! She is an experienced science communicator, having shared her insights with the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as on TV and radio. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter!
Rajasain Edralin (he/him) is a PhD student in mathematics primarily supervised by Helen Webster (UK Met Office and University of Exeter). Together, we are investigating the impacts of ongoing and past climate changes on volcanic ash dispersion. Rajasain is from Jakarta and obtained funding from the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education. He previously earned a MSc in Environmental Sciences from the University of Waikato and a BSc in Meteorology from the State College of Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics in Indonesia. Connect with him on Instagram or LinkedIn!
Gilles Seropian (he/him) is an independent postdoctoral research fellow funded by a Royal Society Newton International Fellowship. I'm lucky enough to co-host him with James Hickey while he investigates how we can learn from the noise produced by explosive volcanic plumes to constrain eruption intensity in near-real time. Gilles is originally from France and Lebanon, and he did his PhD at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. He loves anything outdoors, generally dangling from a rope on a cliff side, either highlining or climbing. Check out his website!
Man Mei (May) Chim (she/her) is from Hong Kong and is an independent Croucher postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter. I jointly supervised her PhD with Anja Schmidt and Luke Abraham. She still occasionally bless us with her presence and insights on modelling volcanic impacts on climate, and is closely involved in our CMIP work. Check out her first PhD paper in Geophysical Research Letters, and follow her on Twitter!
Becca Tanner (she/her) is from the UK and recently transitioned from rowing Oxford's rivers to rowing the sea in beautiful Cornwall. She is doing her PhD on the dynamics of volcanic plumes using a mix of satellite observations and numerical modelling. She is funded by an EPSRC studentship and supported by the British Geological Survey. Give her a follow on Twitter or Bluesky (@beccatanner)!
Magali Verkerk (she/her) is from France and went from studying geology and biology at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon to doing her PhD in climate science. She is building better emulators for climate-volcano interactions and applying them to reconstruct the impacts of past eruptions. She is funded by the University of Exeter and supported by the UK Met Office.
Titouan Renaud (he/him) is a master student joining the group in 2024/2025 for a research year abroad. Titouan is studying physics at the Ecole Normale Superieure de Paris-Saclay, and is working on using the IVESPA database to evaluate and intercompare two different volcanic plume models. In his free time, Titouan is generally found riding a horse although he is switiching to a surfboard for his year in Cornwall!
Francesco Romeo (he/him) is a third year PhD student at Sapienza University of Rome and Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV). In 2025, he moved from the warmer coasts of Italy to the breathtaking shores of Cornwall, for a research period abroad. He uses physical electromagnetic models, remote sensing and machine learning to study volcanic clouds. He loves hiking, rock climbing and anything outdoors. Keep in touch with him on ResearchGate.
Master's students
Zoe Hastings (2024, University of Exeter): Emulating the spatiio-temporal climate response to volcanic forcing using machine learning
Felix Delebecque (2024, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris-Saclay): Application of Bristol's PlumeRise model to the IVESPA eruption source parameter database
Sarah Muzard (2023, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris-Saclay): One-dimensional modelling of volcanic plumes characterized in the IVESPA database
Rachel Mackel (2022, University of Cambridge): Holocene volcanic forcing reconstruction.
Xinhao Li (2022, University of Cambridge): Simulations of volcanic impacts on climate over 1850-2014.
Alix Harrow (2021, University of Cambridge): Impacts of the 1883 eruption of Krakatau on climate.
Ella Weston (2021, University of Cambridge): Impacts of volcanic eruptions on the El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
Undergraduate students
Jack Dunning (2016, University of British Columbia): Volcanic plume dynamics
Margot Clyne (2014-2016, University of British Columbia): Climate model evaluation
Rose Gallo (2015-2016, University of British Columbia): Volcanic plume dynamics
Kim Hatcher, (2014-2016, University of British Columbia): Volcanic plume dynamics
Adjoa Quainoo (2014-2015, University of British Columbia): Climate model evaluation
Top: Celebration of dissertation submission with Rachel and Xinhao. Bottom: Kim, Jo and a couple seals enjoying enjoying a foggy morning during a group kayak trip.