About the Author: Ray Cas is Emeritus Professor in Volcanology at the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, and a Visiting Professorial Research Adjunct at CODES, University of Tasmania, both in Australia. Ray has undertaken research in many modern volcanic and ancient volcanic settings around the world, including collaborative research with the resources industry. He has diverse research interests including: the differences between subaqueous and subaerial volcanism; controls on explosive and effusive eruption processes; dispersal and characteristics of pyroclastic deposits and lavas; surface sedimentary processes; kimberlite volcanism; reconstruction of ancient volcanic successions; Archean volcanism and geodynamics; volcanic hazards; and volcanic hosted natural resources. Ray has published extensively and co-authored the internationally acclaimed textbook "Volcanic Successions: Modern and Ancient" (1987) with John Wright. Ray was President of the International Association for Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) from 2011 - 2015.
Guido Giordano is Professor in Volcanology at the Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Italy. Guido has studied volcanoes on all six continents, and developed a wide network of scientific collaborations becoming author of more than 160 international publications, editor of five monographs and several geological maps of volcanoes. His main areas of interest are the stratigraphy and facies analysis of modern and ancient volcanic successions, eruption transport and emplacement mechanisms of pyroclastic density currents, caldera formation and deposits, lava transport and emplacement processes, igneous petrology, volcanic hazards, tectonic control on volcanism and geothermal fluid circulation, numerical modelling of volcanic and geothermal processes, and environmental and urban geology. Guido was President of the Italian Association of Volcanology (2015-2020); co-Leader of the IAVCEI Commission for Explosive Volcanism (2000-2004), and of the Commission of Collapse Calderas (2018-2023); and Chair of the IAVCEI Task-Group on Volcanic Crises Protocols (2013-2016).
John Wright is an internationally accomplished geologist having over 40 years industry and academic experience. Earlier in his career John carried out volcanological investigations of modern pyroclastic deposits and volcanoes, as well as research on ancient volcanic successions. Since then, he has worked mostly as a Consultant Geologist in mineral and hydrocarbon exploration, conducting and managing major studies and regional generative initiatives in Australia, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Caribbean and North America. Specific areas of expertise include: field and subsurface analysis of sedimentary and volcanic facies; modelling depositional settings in metals and hydrocarbon exploration; regional and sedimentary basin analysis; and application of integrated geological, geophysical, GIS and database techniques. John's work directly led to discovery of the giant Century Zinc resource in 1990. He has published widely including "Volcanic Successions: Modern and Ancient" co-authored with Ray Cas, as well as producing over 100 confidential company reports.