EIU Media Relations

EIU Volcano Expert Featured on PBS's 'Nova'; to Air on WEIU-TV

An Eastern Illinois University volcano expert was featured prominently on a recent episode of the PBS program “Nova” that will air this week on WEIU-TV.

Professor Craig Chesner – the EIU geology/geography department’s resident mineralogist, petrologist and volcanologist – is one of the researchers consulted in “Nova’s” “Mystery of the Megavolcano.”

The program description states, “’Nova’ joins four scientists in their global pursuit of clues to a massive volcanic eruption that appears to have had a devastating impact on the Earth 75,000 years ago. And if they're right, the ancient supervolcano – and others like it – may someday reawaken, with catastrophic consequences for our modern world.”

Chesner, who joined the EIU faculty in 1989, just returned from a one-year sabbatical at the Smithsonian Institution. While there, he was a senior fellow in their Department of Mineral Sciences, where his research involved determining the volatile content from the Toba Eruption, in Sumatra, Indonesia, via the study of melt inclusions and matrix glasses.

”During the ‘Nova’ program, Craig spoke very eloquently and with passion on his research and its importance to the understanding potential modern-day eruptions,” said John Stimac, chair of the EIU geology/geography department. “His research reflects very well on Eastern Illinois University.”

WEIU-TV plans to air the program at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, and 2 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 5.

For more information on the episode, see the website at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/megavolcano.