Student Profile

Adele Bear

BSc (Hons)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate

Why Monash?

As I grew up in Melbourne I chose Monash University because I felt that it was the best place to come to study science. The Clayton campus looked like a great environment to do my studies. Towards the end of my third year I was approached by one of the professors asking if I was interested in doing honours in Geosciences at Monash. This gave me the opportunity to undertake research in New Zealand. The honours year really set me up to undertake my PhD as it gave me the opportunity to do independent study and to organise and prepare my own research.

What is the focus of your research?

One role of a physical volcanologist is to build up as much knowledge of modern and ancient volcanoes to help predict future eruptions. The research group that I belong to study various kinds of volcanoes. I am currently conducting research on a caldera volcano in central Italy. Caldera volcanoes are the most explosive type of volcano and it is only a matter of time before one erupts again. The focus of my research is to map out the products of this volcano and try to understand the eruptive history that occurred over a 100,000 year period, from magma genesis to final deposition. From studying the products deposited we can determine how the eruption progressed and in future this information may be used when planning hazard management of currently active volcanoes.

What do you think are the strengths of the PhD program at Monash University?

I appreciate that the PhD is 100% research with a thesis component, so candidates have the time and opportunity to develop their own ideas and ways of thinking. Geoscience is a field that offers a great variety of opportunities, as I spend large amounts of time in the field as well as in the office and lab doing analysis. The facilities in the school are fantastic and I also utilise facilities from other areas of the university which allows me to meet people from other schools and departments. The PhD program encourages candidates to present their research at interdepartmental level as well as nationally and internationally, which is something that I really enjoy. The research usually requires travel which encourages communication and collaboration with overseas institutions.

What are your perceived benefits of undertaking a PhD?

In order to become a professional physical volcanologist I definitely had to do a PhD. Undertaking a PhD presented me with an opportunity to continue learning independently and to publish what I learned.

What are your goals for the future?

I want to continue in research and go on to do a postdoctoral degree either in Australia or overseas. I certainly want to stay in volcanology and plan to apply for a Monash Postgraduate Publications Award (PPA) here at Monash University, which is a great opportunity to make sure that everything I have discovered in my PhD does get published. I would also like to get into lecturing, but that may come later in my career.

How do you feel about the level of support from academic and general staff at Monash University?

The academic staff in the School of Geosciences go above and beyond to make sure that they are always available to support research students. The general staff in the school are great at making the day to day things happen and if it was not for these people I would not get my work done. Monash University is a wonderful environment to work in, facilities are always being updated and it’s been a pleasure working here.