Feature Story Arianna Soldati

I guess I am just one of those people that have always known what I wanted to

study. I just think volcanoes are very fascinating. Growing up as a child, there is nothing

quite comparable to seeing a volcanic eruption. You are witnessing the earth being born

right in front of you. That has always stayed with me. Soldati eyes lit up as she spoke

about her decision to become a volcanologist.

Arianna Soldati is originally from Milan, a major metropolitan city in Italy that is

considered to be one of the fashion capitals in the world. Arianna first saw a volcano

erupt on television when she was in kindergarten. The footages of Mount Pinatubo, a

volcano in the Philippines, made a lasting impression that would ultimately have major

influence over Soldatis professional career choice.

Arianna Soldati is currently a PhD candidate in the Geology Department at the

University of Missouri Columbia. Her area of interest is volcanology, concentrating on

the rheology of lava flows, which is how lava behaves as it flows. She is constantly

excited about going on field trips to eruption sites, collecting lava samples and bringing

them back to the lab to conduct experiments. She is driven by curiosity and very much

enjoys the process of discovering answers to her own questions.

According to Arianna, volcanology is still a young science; therefore it comes

with its challenges. When you to research something, you typically rely on past

researches to start. But there isnt much in my field. There isnt much of anything before

the 1970s. You have to figure out everything out yourself. Theres often no data to

compare your work to. Despite the obstacles, Arianna remains optimistic. This is also a

good thing though because it just means there are more opportunities in the field. There is
inspiration to be found among all of us. Most likely what you are studying hasnt been

done yet. There is a high chance that you are going to make a brand new discovery.

Another one of Ariannas passions is to travel, a quality in which a volcanologist

must possess. Traveling brings new perspectives and Arianna defines part of her personal

identity through a blend of different cultures. During high school, she participated in an

exchange program that sent her to Montana for a year. Arianna was able to experience

activities such as hunting, fishing and camping; things she would never be able to do in a

city like Milan. In the years that followed, she was able to go to France and England on

study abroad trips in college. Now as a budding volcanologist, shes adding exotic

locations such as Guatemala, Hawaii and La Runion (an island in the Indian Ocean off

the coast of Madagascar) to the list. Although she is still defining her plans after

graduation in May 2017, Arianna is hoping for a trip to see the volcano that the

volcanology community calls the perfect volcano, Mount Fuji. I think Mount Fuji is a

symbol of perfection. The pictures that I have seen are beautiful. And the Japanese

culture is amazing too. Maybe if Im lucky, the cherry blossoms will be in season.

As a PhD candidate, a researcher and a volcanologist, free time for Arianna

Soldati is scarce. When the opportunity does present itself though, one might see her

among the audience of a Shakespearean play or relishing in a contemporary ballet

performance at the Missouri Theater. For Arianna though, science is truly where the heart

is. Even though she must endure many obstacles and failures during the discovery

process, she says, I cannot picture a better future for myself than one in which I get to

look for answers to my questions for a career.