15/09/2026
🌋 Meet our Professors – Prof. Massimo D'Antonio
Our Meet our Professors series continues with Prof. Massimo D'Antonio, Full Professor of Geochemistry and Volcanology.
In this interview, Prof. D'Antonio tells us about his career in volcanology and his research interests, ranging from the pre-eruptive pressure and temperature conditions of magma to the geochemical characteristics of magma sources and tephrostratigraphy applied to Italian volcanoes.
He also introduces the course he teaches in the Master in Volcanology, Advanced Isotope Geochemistry, where students learn how isotopic tools and techniques can be used to investigate volcanic processes, date volcanic rocks, trace magma sources, and reconstruct volcanic activity.
From a childhood fascination with black stones collected near his home in Lucrino to his research on volcanic ash deposits across the Mediterranean, Prof. D'Antonio shares his experience, insights, and advice for the next generation of volcanologists.
Could you briefly introduce yourself? Tell us about your current position and your main research interests.
I am Full Professor of Geochemistry and Volcanology. My main research interests include investigating the pre-eruptive pressure and temperature conditions of magma, the geochemical characteristics of magma sources, and tephrostratigraphy applied to Italian volcanoes.
Which course(s) do you teach in the Master in Volcanology, and what can students expect to learn from them?
I teach Advanced Isotope Geochemistry, a course that allows students to become familiar with several isotopic tools and techniques that can be employed when studying volcanoes.
In particular, students will learn how to date volcanic rocks, which is fundamental for understanding the history of a volcano. They will also explore isotopic tools to investigate pre- and post-eruptive processes, such as the hydrothermal alteration of volcanic rocks, as well as to determine the origin of lavas and pyroclastic rocks of different compositions.
How did you become interested in volcanology? Was there a particular experience, person, or moment that inspired your career?
I remember that when I was a little boy, I spent my summer vacations for several years with my family in a small town near Naples called Lucrino. I was curious about the black stones that I collected close to my house.
Later, I discovered that those black stones were scoria fragments emitted during the Monte Nuovo eruption, and that the small town of Lucrino is located within the Campi Flegrei caldera!
What is the most exciting or rewarding aspect of your research?
In my current research, I use radiogenic isotopes, specifically strontium and neodymium, as tracers of the source of volcanic ash deposits found in distal locations, sometimes hundreds of kilometres away from the volcanic centres.
The isotopic composition of strontium and neodymium in the ash, combined with its geochemical composition and geochronological constraints, allows us to identify the corresponding volcanic products located close to a known volcano or volcanic area.
This is particularly important for reconstructing volcanic activity and assessing the dispersal of explosive volcanic products across the Mediterranean region.
What advice would you give to students who are considering a career in volcanology or geosciences?
Be curious about the landscape surrounding you and about the appearance of rocks. Observation is fundamental.
And, last but not least, always compare your case study with other case studies.
If you could take your students to visit just one volcano anywhere in the world, which one would you choose and why?
I would choose the island of Pantelleria, in the Strait of Sicily, firstly because its landscape is almost devoid of urbanization, and secondly because its volcanic activity has been characterized by both effusive and explosive eruptions, producing mafic to felsic rocks.
🌋 We thank Prof. Massimo D'Antonio for sharing his experience and insights with our students and future volcanologists!
