Catherine Hickson

Catherine Hickson (born in 1955) is a Canadian volcanologist formerly part of the Geological Survey of Canada. Hickson has mapped and studied young volcanoes in Canada assessing their past and future eruptions. In 2003, Hickson was one of the three scientists to report on a hypothetical eruption at the Canadian volcano Mount Cayley. Hickson works in South America where some of the largest and highest volcanoes are, including those in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. She was the creator and leader of the Multinational Andean Project. The project ran from 1996 - 2002, with Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, being co-funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and the participating countries. In 2002 a second project was started that focused on volcanoes, earthquake and landslides and was expanded to include Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. It ended in 2006. The work garnered Hickson the prestigious C.J. Westerman Memorial Award (2010) presented by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC, and the Head of the Public Service Award (1999) among other awards. In addition to her scientific contributions, she has made contributions to many publications for young people and the public, as well as being a sought after lecturer, field trip leader and supporter of science for the public. She was an eyewitness to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and wrote a book in 2005 describing her experience and explaining the mechanism of the eruption for the public. She now works in the private sector.

1995 Goward, T. and Hickson, C.J. Nature Wells Gray, 2nd edition, A visitor’s guide to the park. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, 224 p. 2005 Hickson, C.J. Surviving the Stone Wind: A personal Account of the May 18, 1980 Eruption of Mt. St. Helens, Tricouni Press, Vancouver BC, 96 pages. 2013 Hickson C., Spurgeon T., Tilling, R., and Adam P. (2013) Factors Influencing Volcanic Hazards and the Morphology of Volcanic Landforms. In: John F. Shroder (ed.) Treatise on Geomorphology, Volume 13, pp. 219-242. San Diego: Academic Press. 2013 Base Surge; Nuee Ardente; Volcanic Eruptions; Magma; Eruption Types in Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards, Peter T. Bobrowsky (editor) ISBN 978-94-007-0263-9