Jonathan Castro

Prof. Jonathan Castro is a Professor of Volcanology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. He leads the Volcanology research group and holds a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from the University of Oregon. His work focuses on volcanic hazards, eruption histories in the Americas and Central Europe, experimental volcanology, and lava flow dynamics.

Education: Ph.D. (1999) and B.S. (1993) in Geological Sciences from the University of Oregon and Humboldt State University, respectively. Professional certifications include a Licensed Professional Geologist (CA).

Research Interests: Experimental studies on magma rheology, eruption mechanisms, and volcanic hazards. Current field areas include volcanoes in Italy, Ecuador, Chile, Hawaii, Greece, Iceland, and the U.S. His work combines field observations, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling.

Key Awards: Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2008), Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst Fellowship (2005), and William Keck Foundation Award (2002). Professional activities include AGU Program Committee roles and manuscript reviewing for high-impact journals.

Grants: Over $500,000 in competitive grants from NSF, Smithsonian Institution, and others, focusing on magma storage, eruption dynamics, and preservation of volcanic archives. Collaborations with global institutions like the University of Munich and Smithsonian Institution.

Labs/Teams: Heads the Volcanology lab at Mainz, co-leads projects on magma rheology and conduit dynamics. Active in international field campaigns and interdisciplinary research.