Tamsin Mather is Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford. Her research centres on volcanoes and is motivated by understanding them as hazards, resources and agents of local to planetary-scale environmental change or maintenance. She has established novel ways in which the chemistry occurring in or near high-temperature volcanic vents influences the wider environmental impacts of fuming/erupting volcanoes. Further, she uses key lessons from present-day volcanic emissions to reinterpret signals left deep in Earth’s geological record, unlocking new insights into the potential links between large-scale magmatism and past crises such as mass extinctions.
Volcanic emissions of metals are one of her particular interests and, while her previous work has mainly focused on their emissions chemistry, environmental impacts and potential as proxies in the sedimentary record, she has recently been developing interests in how volcanic fluids might focus these metals in ways that might lead to them being extractable for use in manufacturing. Through Oxford EARTH she hopes to couple this new research area with her interest in the geothermal power potential of volcanoes to find new ways to exploit volcanism to drive future lower carbon economies.
Alongside her research, Tamsin is a passionate advocate for science communication and diversity in STEM. She has shared the excitement of Earth Sciences with the public through lectures, podcasts, media appearances, and her book Adventures in Volcanoland. She also sits on various advisory boards for UK government and more recently a venture capital fund focussed on promoting diversity and environmental solutions within its portfolio. She was the chair of the Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group of Great Britain & Ireland from 2022 to 2025 and is currently the Associate Head of the MPLS division of the university for research and innovation.
