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Alejandra Vásquez Castillo: My IMPROVE Journey

Between the vibrant Mount Etna, geodetic time series and sand cones

Being part of IMPROVE has been one of the most enriching when I started my PhD, but being part of the IMPROVE frame-
experiences of my academic journey so far. As a PhD candidate work encouraged me to explore creative approaches and
passionate about understanding how the solid Earth works and interdisciplinary perspectiveFs.
how ground movements reveal what happens beneath our feet,
IMPROVE has offered me the ideal environment to develop both I have also been very fortunate to be mentored by an expert with
my technical expertise and my research identity. decades of experience on Etna: Giuseppe Puglisi, whose deep
knowledge and constant support have been invaluable through-
From the very beginning, IMPROVE felt like a perfect fit, almost out this journey. Working at INGV has also been very enriching; I
tailor-made for me. It gave me the chance to keep building on had the chance to learn from other disciplines, like petrology,
what I had started during my master: combining the geodesy I thanks to the generosity and expertise of outstanding scientists
studied back home in Colombia with the volcanology that I learnt as Rosa Anna Corsaro, who has broadened my view of volcanic
while studying in Germany. The position was exactly what I had systems in different ways.
been hoping for, the ideal next step in my academic journey. And
what made it even more exciting was the opportunity to study a But what makes IMPROVE truly special is the human side of it. I
fascinating volcano like Etna, right there on site in Sicily. still remember our first school in Laugar, Iceland: it was an
energetic and inspiring start to this incredible journey. This is
The training activities not only boosted my academic confidence where I met my fellow ESR colleagues for the very first time, and I
with useful research techniques but also helped me grow in was truly excited to begin this path surrounded by such brilliant
essential soft skills, such as effective communication through and motivated people. Adapting to new working cultures, and
public speaking. Additionally, these activities introduced me to a meeting other ESRs going through the same ups and downs has
valuable, multidisciplinary network of researchers. Also my created a special sense of community. We've supported each
secondments at the University of Iceland and at the University of other not only in research, but also in the day-to-day life of being
Lancaster were key moments: not only because I could deepen young scientists living abroad. These fellow ESRs are now the
my understanding of analytical and analogue modelling, but I people I will turn to if I have a question outside my area of
also had the chance to work with experts whose mentorship has volcanology expertise. We have become a real network, a
had a lasting influence on my work, like Prof. Freysteinn community of young volcanologists!
Sigmundsson, Prof. Stephen Lane and Prof. Mike James. One of
the highlights of my secondments has been the opportunity to There is no doubt that EU-funded programmes such as Horizon
not only study volcanic deformation through satellite observa- Europe play a crucial role in training researchers ready to tackle
tions such as InSAR and GNSS, but also to explore those same complex challenges. For me, IMPROVE is not just a project, but a
processes, like injection and withdrawal, through hands-on launchpad for a career based on collaboration, curiosity, and
analogue modelling in the lab. It is something I never imagined scientific integrity. I am very proud to be a Marie Curie Alumna!

Photo credits: Alexander Bauer

Editorial work: Patrizia Pantani
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