Mentors

Michael Petronis is Professor of geology and has extensive expertise in paleomagnetism, volcanology, rock-magnetism, and geologic mapping. He maintains a strong field-based research program involving several graduate and undergraduate students. He has conducted field AMS and paleomagnetic investigations in NW Scotland and Ireland, Precambrian paleomagnetic studies in the high-Arctic of Svalbard, Norway, and China, volcanic studies in the Chaîne des Puys, France, Czech Republic, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, California, and Utah. He brings over 15 years experience in rock and paleomagnetism and the application of the AMS technique. He maintains a state-of-the-art paleomagnetic-rock magnetism laboratory at NMHU and has all required field equipment for sample collection. He has a proven record of mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students and has published several papers with students.

Marek Awdankiewicz is a geologist specialised in studies of volcanic rocks in ancient successions. He carried out research mainly in the Sudetes in the eastern part of the Variscan Belt, working on metabasites and other Lower Palaeozoic metavolcanic rocks, Permo-Carbonifeorus volcanites and lamprophyres, as well as Cenozoic basalts. Using the results of field work, petrographic and mineralogical methods, geochemistry and isotope geochemistry as well as U-Pb zircon dating he tries to reconstruct the evolution of ancient volcanic systems in the context of their tectonic and environmental setting. He is professor of geology and the head of the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology at the University of Wrocław. He carries out lectures and laboratory and field courses in general geology, petrology, mineralogy,
igneous geochemistry and volcanology. 

Rapprich is an expert on physical volcanology at the CGS, Prague, Czech Republic. He speaks Czech, English, and Spanish. His mentor roles include organizational capacity to the project from experience participating and managing natural disasters and geological mapping projects. He is presently also leading the project on Capacity building in Environmental Geology Mapping of Georisks, including hydrogeological conditions in Southern Ethiopia. He cooperates closely with a large group of geophysicists experienced in geophysical mapping and tomography of volcanic systems. He has an exceptional publication record, with diverse subject themes that encompasses physical volcanology, volcanostratigraphy, petrology, volcanic geochemistry, and geophysical methods applied in volcanology. His direct IRES mentor roles include a broad range of volcanology, petrology and ground magnetometry. 

 Valenta is a highly skilled exploration geophysicist with more than ten years experience in this field. He works in the Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics, AoS and at CU. His main IRES mentoring activities include high-resolution seismic and geoelectrical surveys in complex areas (archaeological sites, complex geology, etc.). Moreover, he is also capable of providing guidance on different geodetical tasks and has certain background in several geological disciplines. He speaks English, Russian & Spanish. He cooperates closely with volcanologists and structural geologists. He has a excellent publication record in a diverse range of subjects-exploration geophysics, seismology, volcanology and geophysical methods applied in archaeology. His direct IRES mentoring expertise includes a broad range of geophysics, volcanology and geodesy. 

 Van Wyk de Vries is Professor of Volcanology at Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans (LMV), Université Blaise Pascale, Clermont-Ferrand, France. He speaks fluent English, French, and Spanish and teaches and works in all three languages. His IRES mentoring includes a strong organizational capacity to the project from experience managing natural disasters and geotechnical projects, as well as managing the teaching and research parts of LMV. He is presently also the coordinator for the International Master degree program at LMV and International Relationship coordinator for the laboratory. He has a large group of PhD students working on collaborative projects with Czech Republic, Italian, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, US and Latin American colleagues, and supports many masters’ projects. His direct IRES mentoring expertise include a broad range of structural geology, tectonic and volcanological applications, founded on a long career in academia, government hazard and risk organizations, and industry.