Lancaster volcanologist on BBC

​A Lancaster University volcanologist is to feature in a ten-minute documentary for BBC2 about his work.

Dr Hugh Tuffen of the Lancaster Environment Centre was filmed on an expedition to Chile to observe an erupting volcano. 

The programme, Volcano Live, is billed as ‘a journey into our fascinating, dynamic planet, live from the world's most active volcano’ and will be screened on July 10.

Lancaster University is one of the leading centres of research into volcanic activity.  The University offers a unique MSc in Volcanology and Geological Hazards which gives students the opportunity to study amongst one of the largest group of volcanologists and environmental scientists in the UK.

Dr Hugh Tuffen said: “Volcanoes are such fascinating things – they can be so destructive and have a terrible impact on thousands of people’s lives but at the same time they are such beautiful things. I was drawn to research in this area partly from a desire to help people and partly because of that fascination for the volcanoes themselves.”

Dr Tuffen, who watched the Puyehue volcano in Chile live as it erupted during filming said: “Working on the ash covered volcano was a challenging experience but we gained a rare glimpse of little understood processes that control some of the world’s most explosive eruptions.

“It was incredibly exciting to see the vent of one of the volcanoes that we have been studying for so many years erupting live in front of us.”

For further information on the MSc go to http://www.lec.lancs.ac.uk/postgraduate/masters/courses/volcanology-and-geological-hazards

To watch a preview of the documentary go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00v4wkb