Welcome!
The photos above and to the right were taken at Kilauea Volcano in Hawai'i in July 2003 while attending a student workshop associated with the Cities on Volcanoes 3 conference in Hilo, Hawai'i.
My name is Steve Smith. I’m a volcanologist. Browse the sections below to learn a little more about me from my many interests.
Photo above of me and some of the group with Mt. Griggs Volcano from a volcanology field trip in June 2003, to Katmai National Park in Alaska. Photo to the left of me and Mt. Rainier Volcano in Washington during family vacation in July 2022.
I’m a U.S. Navy Veteran originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have a Master's of Science degree in Geology with an emphasis in Volcanology and Remote Sensing from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. My undergraduate work was done at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, receiving a Bachelor's of Science degree in Geology with a Minor in Geography. My ambition was to become a volcanologist, or at least deal with volcanic or geologic hazards.
About Me
In my free time I like to watch TV, listening to music, going to the movies, hiking, camping, and when I get the chance going to baseball games. My interests are primarily in volcanoes, earth sciences, meteorology, astronomy, wolves, history, military history (mainly in the Civil War and World War II), U.S. Navy, and baseball. For more information about me as well as these major interests follow the sections below or the banner at the top
Research
PUBLICATIONS
Dean, K.G., Dehn, J., Papp, K.R., Smith, S., Izbekov, P., Peterson, R., Kearney, C., and Steffke, A., 2004, Integrated satellite observations of the 2001 eruption of Mt. Cleveland, Alaska, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 135, p. 51-73.
UNPUBLISHED THESIS
Smith, S.J., 2005, Chronologic multisensor assessment for Mount Cleveland, Alaska from 2000 to 2004 focusing on the 2001 eruption, University of Alaska Fairbanks M.S. Thesis, 142 p.
ABSTRACTS
Smith, S.J. and Dehn, J., The 2001 eruptions of Mount Cleveland, Alaska: further analysis of remote sensing and field observation data, IAVCEI General Assembly 2004 Meeting, Pucón, Chile, November 14-19, 2004.
Smith, S.J., Dehn, J., and Moore, R. B., Analysis of volcanic deposits from the 2001 eruption of Mt. Cleveland, Alaska using multisensor satellite data and field observations, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 8-12, 2003.
Smith, S.J., Dean, K.G., and Dehn, J., Associating the temperature difference model, used for AVHRR and GOES, to the MODIS image from February 19, 2001 of the eruption plume of Mt. Cleveland, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, IAVCEI Cities on Volcanoes III, Hilo, HI, July 14-18, 2003.
Smith, S.J., Dean, K.G., and Dehn, J., Associating the temperature difference model, used for AVHRR and GOES, to the MODIS image from February 19, 2001 of the eruption plume of Mt. Cleveland, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, Alaska Geological Society Meeting, Fairbanks, AK, April 25, 2003.
Smith, S.J. and Putirka, K., Crystallization depths for Holocene basaltic lavas from Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID, Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research Symposium, Indiana, PA, April 2001.
Volcanoes
Interests
Volcanoes have been my biggest interest since the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mt. St. Helens, Washington. This interest had been expanded when I was in the U.S. Navy. During that time in the U.S. Navy I had served at three duty stations. As luck would have it, I was next to an active volcano at each station. Here are the three volcanoes I had been stationed near, and the dates I had seen them actively erupting: Mt. Etna, Sicily - December 1992-93; Mt. Erebus, Antarctica - February 1994; and Kilauea, Hawai’i - March 1997.
My interest in volcanoes is not the only field in the Earth Sciences that I am interested in. Just to get into the field of volcanology one has to get a Geology degree. Volcanoes also produce many earthquakes, so I also have a general interest in the movement of the Earth. As with the other science pages the main purposes for this page are to give those of you who are new to the science world a small taste of what's out there, and to give those who are already involved in science a few sites to find some cool products and data.
The background photo is of the Grand Canyon in Arizona and was taken by me in 1999. The photo was originally in color and can be seen that way in the photo album, but I have made it a gray scale image to make the text more readable.
Earth Sciences
Meteorology
My interest in all things Meteorology related has been with me probably as long as my interest in volcanoes. This interest was increased when I joined the U.S. Navy as a weather observer. As with the other science pages the main purposes for this page are to give those of you who are new to the science world a small taste of what's out there, and to give those who are already involved in science some other sites to find some cool products and data.
I have an amateur interest in Astronomy that has mostly revolved around near Earth astronomical events, but I occasionally try to view the planets, moons, meteor "showers," eclipses, aurora, and any passing comets. As with the other science pages the main purposes for this page are to give those of you who are new to the science world a small taste of what's out there, and to give those who are already involved in science some other sites to find some cool products and data.
The background photo was taken by me while in McMurdo Station, Antarctica of the Aurora Australis. Have fun!
Astronomy
History
I like most History, but my main focus is in American military history. Through the following sites I hope you can take with you a little appreciation for how these wars contributed to shaping not only the United States, but the world as a whole. I would also like to send a little dedication out to all the men, women, and in some cases children who fought and died while fighting in these wars, and to the men and women who today carry the torch of freedom while defending America, WE THANK YOU!
This page is dedicated to my Grandfather Thomas C. Stiefvater (1922-1997) - World War II Veteran.
This page is dedicated to my favorite Baseball team - The Pittsburgh Pirates! I just loved going to Three Rivers Stadium and now to PNC Park to watch the team play what we in these parts like to call "Burghball." It's a real tough, don't give in, but have fun in the process type of baseball. The following is just some info about the team from their web site, and some other fun baseball links. Let's Go Bucs!!
