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Montserrat Volcano Observatory Announces 2026 Theme for Creative Writing Competition

The Montserrat Volcano Observatory, through its annual Creative Writing Competition is this year challenging residents to think beyond the concept of living with a volcano. “What happened to the Mermaid of Chance’s Peak?” is the topic being explored for this year’s competition. Education and Outreach Coordinator at the MVO Thiffanie Williams says through poetry, writers are to imagine the events of the Soufriere Hills volcanic eruptions from the mermaid’s perspective. Cash prizes will be awarded to winning entries across the competition categories. The full competition guidelines and requirements can be found on the Montserrat Volcano observatory social media pages, or by visiting www.mvo.ms and searching story writing competition. Persons can email their submissions to mvooutreach@gmail.com Alternatively, students may submit their entries at their school office. The deadline for submissions is November 6, 2026.

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Director of MVO Participates in Visiting Fellowship at University of Oxford

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Director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, Dr. Graham Ryan is currently participating in one month Visiting Fellowship at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford. As part of the fellowship, Dr. Ryan is working alongside the ReSET project team to combine newly collected ReSET data with previous research and datasets to improve the understanding of Montserrat’s geothermal system(s). While there Dr. Ryan also made a presentation at a geothermal workshop in the Department of Earth Sciences, where he shared insights from Montserrat’s unique volcanic environment with researchers and students from around the world. The ReSET (Rethinking Natural Resources) programme is a University of Oxford initiative exploring how Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills Volcano can be used to generate geothermal power and extract critical metals (like lithium, copper, and gold). It aims to transition the island away from imported diesel while boosting the local economy.

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Montserrat Volcano Observatory Takes Part in International Research Project

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The Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) has announced its involvement in an international research project led by the University of Bristol. The 3.7 million pound project, titled: Ex-X: Expecting the Unexpected, is focused on improving the detection and understanding of dangerous escalations in volcanic activity. The MVO was represented by Dr Adam Stinton at the project’s initial workshop in Bristol from January 12th to 13th, 2026. The project is being led by Professor Jenni Barclay from Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences, and funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. Initial research will focus on three volcanic systems in the Eastern Caribbean: Soufrière Volcano in St Vincent, Mount Pelée in Martinique, and Soufrière Hills Volcano in Montserrat. This research builds on recent advances in volcanology, seismology, and numerical modelling. The international collaboration includes UK researchers from the universities of Bristol, Plymouth, East Anglia, Manchester, and Oxford, alongside partners in the Eastern Caribbean, the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, and the Paris Institute of Earth Physics, which is responsible for the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The project also includes researchers from the USA, Germany, and Italy.

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