Role
Research Director of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), Catania Section - Etna Observatory; Head of the Volcanic Hazard Functional Unit
Bio
After graduating in geology from the University of Calabria, Sonia Calvari earned her PhD in Volcanic Hazard from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. Her professional career began at the International Institute of Volcanology in Catania, part of the National Research Council, where she worked from 1987 to 1999.
She has been working at the INGV since 1999, following the merger of the CNR institutes dedicated to seismicity and volcanoes into the Institute. She has held institutional roles: Head of the Volcanology and Geochemistry Functional Unit (2002-2009), Head of the Coordinated Cross-Sectional Theme on the surveillance of active volcanoes (2004-2013), and Head of the Volcanic Hazard Center (2016-2019). She is an editor of international volcanology journals such as Bulletin of Volcanology (2011-2015), Earth Planets and Space (2021-2025), Remote Sensing (2020-2026), and Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research (2022-2026). Since 2008, she has been Research Director at the Etna Observatory and is currently Head of the Volcanic Hazard Functional Unit.
Her research focuses on volcanology, the geology of volcanic systems, monitoring of active volcanoes, and volcanic hazard assessment. She studies lava flows and fields, lava caves, explosive and paroxysmal activity, including lava fountains, using multiparametric and multidisciplinary systems.
She collaborates on studies of Italian and international volcanic areas, applying techniques used in Italy to volcanoes abroad. The Volcanic Hazard Functional Unit's most recent activities include modeling of hazardous phenomena, forecasting scenarios, mitigation, satellite techniques for volcano monitoring, and artificial intelligence applications. She is the author of over 100 scientific publications.