Investigators

Will Pratt is a doctoral candidate in the department of Geography and the Environment at the University of Texas at Austin and Director of Proyecto Arqueológico Zuleta. His previous research has focused on human-volcano interactions and ancient construction techniques utilizing volcanic materials. His current research focuses on ancient agricultural practices and land use, paleoclimate, and volcanic impacts using paleoecological proxies and geochemistry.

Volcanologists Patricia Mothes and Minard Hall oversee the volcanology division of Ecuador’s Instituto Geofísico at the Escuela Politécnica in Quito where they monitor potential threats to the people of Ecuador. Their past research has included eruptive dynamics, seismic activity, and ancient volcanic impacts. Their current research focuses on the Chacana Caldera, Cotopaxi volcano’s last rhyolitic eruption, GPS trends in the northern Andes, and real-time GPS monitoring for tsunami warnings.