Hello Samantha, People at the Alaska Volcano Observatory do a lot of different tasks to monitor and study Alaska volcanoes, but here is what I do: create and populate our geologic database (part of this serves as the back end to our public and internal websites), manage samples that are sent to the lab for whole-rock X-ray fluorescence analysis (and the data that comes back), take a turn in the weekly rotation of monitoring satellite data, and write geologic reports. During times of significant eruption, I also sign up for seismic watch shifts and participate in color code decisions. I started out undergrad college as an English major, although I also loved science. My advisor suggested that I take a geology course. I did, and fell in love with geology. I especially love volcanoes because it is an opportunity to study Earth processes that happen on a human time-scale. It is also important for me to feel like my work is helping people. Volcanology is a very applied science - what we do can have immediate and positive impacts. Best wishes on your studies, Cheryl Cameron -------- Samantha Reebenacker wrote: Dear Alaska volcano observatory, Hello I am Samantha and I attend Millikan Middle school in LA CA. We have a huge volcano project in our 6th grade science class and we have to interview an expert on our volcano (Mt.Katmai). So I have two questions, .What do you do on your job? . What inspired you to study volcanoes? thank you for your time, Samantha Reebenacker :D (please respond) -- Cheryl Cameron Geologist, Alaska Volcano Observatory Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys voice: 907-451-5012 fax: 907-451-5050