September 5, 2025 | BARAYAGWIZA Sylvain

Highlights of the Conference on Volcanic Processes: A Variety of Length and Time Scales Kigali, Rwanda – September 1–5, 2025

The international conference brought together researchers and practitioners from across the globe to discuss volcanic processes across multiple temporal and spatial scales. The program spanned five days and included keynote lectures, scientific sessions, poster presentations, social activities, and cultural visits.
Highlights by Day
Day 1 (Sept 1):
The conference opened with remarks from representatives of the French Embassy, REMA, MINEMA, and UNESCO. The day’s focus was on multi-phase volcanic flows, with keynote lectures by Andrew Woods and talks by Alison Rust, Antonio Costa, and others. The day concluded with a poster session.
Day 2 (Sept 2):
Sessions addressed magma subsurface propagation and seismic and deformation signals from volcanoes. Keynotes were delivered by Eleonora Rivalta. Discussions also covered disaster risk management in the East African Rift and volcanic seismicity. The evening included a movie screening and a social dinner.
Day 3 (Sept 3):
The morning focused on volcanic emissions dispersion, with a keynote by Arnau Folch. The afternoon shifted to volcanic lakes, featuring a keynote by François Darchambeau on methane extraction in Lake Kivu. The day ended with discussions on EAIFR capacity building and PhD success strategies.
Day 4 (Sept 4):
Sessions covered volcanic particles, soils, and volcanoes and climate change. Keynotes by Benjamin Gilbert explored nanoparticles in Earth systems and the historical impact of volcanic eruptions on climate. The evening closed with the film Into the Inferno.
Day 5 (Sept 5):
The final day focused on health and volcanoes, with a keynote by Sarra Latifa Kazi on volcanic particles and disease mechanisms. Other talks addressed climate change-related diseases in Rwanda and podoconiosis.
Poster Prize
The award for Best Poster was presented to Jean Modeste Nshimiyimana for his work on “Historical thermal changes and their drivers in Lake Kivu: toward detecting future unexpected stratification changes.”
Closing Ceremony
The conference concluded with remarks from Dr. Calatayud Paul-André (IRD) and Jean Claude Ngaruye, who represented Dr. Barbara Akaliza, Chief Geohazards Officer, RMB. As part of the closing program, participants visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, located in Gisozi.