Millennium Magazine_2ndEd

A Marquis Who's Who Magazine 363 A t the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Donald A. Swanson, PhD, is hailed as one of the most experienced and dedicated volcanologists to work in the field. Fascinated by the ever- changing landscape of the Aloha State, Dr. Swanson first developed an interest in the earth while completing his undergraduate education in the late 1950s. He went on to earn a PhD in geology from Johns Hopkins University in 1964 before completing a postdoctoral fellowship through NATO. Following a brief stint as a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California, Dr. Swanson was stationed at Hawaii National Park for the first time in 1968. He was also present for the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington, the most deadly and economically destructive volcanic eruption in the history of the contiguous United States. Dr. Swanson served as the scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory from 1997 to 2004, and he has been recognized as a research geologist since 2004. With more than 50 years of experience working directly in the field, he has a fond appreciation for the smaller details of his work, as well as the larger ramifications of his findings. His day-to- day activities involve the careful observation of geologic relations between rocks and deposits, as well as any shifts in volcanic activity. Although not every day is as exciting as a day when an eruption occurs, he finds great fulfillment in knowing that each new piece of collected data provides the scientific community with more clues about what causes volcanic activity and when that activity may occur again. Eager to share his knowledge and passion with others, Dr. Swanson is known to work with students who visit Hawaii to study active volcanoes. In addition, he writes research papers on active and recently active volcanic activity inHawaii. Dr. Swansonwasmost recently awarded a Shoemaker Communications Award from the U.S. Geological Survey, as well as a Distinguished Career Award from the Geological Society of America, in 2016. DONALD A. SWANSON, PHD RESEARCH GEOLOGIST U.S. Geological Survey Hawaii National Park, HI