Dr. Marco Neri, of the Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Catania (INGV), considers himself “a lucky man”. And twice lucky, for living where he lives – at the foot of  Mount Etna – and for the work he does, which he considers “a continuous emotion”. This quiet gentleman, with kind blue eyes, has a very technical way of speaking, when he explains the volcano. His language is that of a pure scientist and it is no coincidence that his writings are highly appreciated . When he has to talk about himself, however, he becomes shy, very reserved … but only because he holds back so many beautiful emotions, like a hidden treasure. And treasures reveal themselves little by little, with an eyedropper. This is why we consider ourselves lucky to have been able to interview him. He answered our questions with his usual, innate courtesy and elegance. Let’s get to know him, then… .

How it all started

Good morning Dr. Neri, we are curious to know: when did you decide to become a geologist and volcanologist ?

I had just turned eighteen, fresh out of high school and with a bit of confusion in my head, typical of that age. Following my mother’s careful advice, I had initially considered a law degree, because it seemed to be the most suitable, at the time, to find a job right away. In September, I enrolled in the Faculty of Law in Catania and began taking lessons in “Roman law”. A tremendous impact! I vaguely remember a book full of words that I barely understood, very crowded lessons where it was hard to even find a seat, and professors who were also physically distant. I was disoriented, that world seemed distant, repulsive.

And how did you solve the problem?

I had an uncle who we, kindly, called Peppino. He was a scientist from the University of Messina who studied the sea and once, with his boat “Colapesce”, he had me try the experience of sampling the waters of the Augusta harbour to study its pollution. On the phone, Uncle Peppino told me: “Marco, enroll in the faculty of Earth Sciences, study Geology. I would have loved to do it, but I never had the chance. You’ll see that, if I know you as I think I do, you’ll like it a lot”. So I did and, less than three months after enrolling in Law, I changed university faculty and found myself catapulted into a new reality made up of ancient fossils from millions of years ago, rocks of all kinds and very colourful maps. That new and ancient world was my home and, almost effortlessly, I would find over time the dimension that was most congenial to me. Thanks for the excellent advice dear Uncle Peppino, wherever you are!

To be a volcanologist

What does it mean “to be a volcanologist” on a volcano like Etna?

It means being very lucky, first of all. With its frequent and varied eruptive and tectonic activity, Mount Etna represents a formidable training ground for anyone who needs to study volcanoes. You always learn, every day, and every day you discover something new, both sitting behind a desk and exploring its slopes and summit. On the other hand, geology is a “young” science, there is still a lot to learn and Etna is a “gateway” capable of offering many ideas for thought and data. It is no coincidence that this volcano attracts the attention of numerous scientists from all over the world.

Tell us an unspoken secret: is a volcanologist ever afraid of a volcano?

Of course, even if more “moderately” than others. Maybe a volcanologist is less afraid of a volcano simply because he/she knows that environment better than others. I think that fear, in fact, is a primary emotion that arises from something that is not known or that is not predictable. But fear can save lives, and not only volcanologists’, because it pushes us to be cautious. I think it is a healthy and useful reaction. Then, everyone declines it in their own way. I continue, even today after so many years, to feel a sort of reverential respect towards volcanoes that limits, at least a little, my spontaneous euphoria for those extreme environments.

What is the most exciting part of your job? And what is the heaviest?

I am excited by the discovery, the “treasure” hidden behind every rocky ridge (because there is always a treasure behind every corner of the Earth, you just have to want to look for it and know how to find it). I am thrilled to understand things, to understand how they work, to understand the relationships between different phenomena, to make connections and to discover that, often, they are part of chains of interconnected events. I am thrilled to also confront my limits, physically and mentally, and to discover that I can overcome them. Or I am also thrilled (a little less, really …) to understand that I cannot go beyond and therefore enjoy the level achieved. There is no truly “heavy” part of my work. I love it, I like it, I believe in the need for sacrifice when necessary, in dedication to the cause, I consider work a useful and sometimes necessary “training” to reach the goal: the more you train, the higher the goal you can reach, the greater the pleasure of the journey to take, even before the result.

What advice do you have for a student who chooses to become a volcanologist?

Maybe you don’t “choose” to become a volcanologist. You are chosen. The nature that surrounds us, the events that happen to us, everything helps to show us the path to follow to become “something”. The student fascinated by volcanoes must first enroll in a degree course related to Geosciences. Then he/she must find in it that specialization that allows him/her to delve into the world of volcanoes, which is only a small, very special and fascinating branch of Earth Sciences. He – or She – will find more opportunities at universities located in active volcanic areas, such as those of Naples and Catania, for obvious reasons of proximity to highly connoted environments. In those universities, you literally “breathe” volcanism in every room. But a PhD  degree is not enough. You need to improve yourself through a Master Course or an equivalent qualification and “go out”, gain experience abroad by acquiring a good command of oral and written foreign language. Because living volcanology thoroughly almost always means entering the academic world or, more recently, the world of tourism through further, specific qualifying courses.

Etna in your heart

What is Etna for you, beyond work?

It is an unmissable horizon, a constant point of reference, a looming and never cumbersome presence. A choice that is in some ways unconscious but necessary. I am grateful to this enormous stratovolcano because it gives me the bread to live and the air to breathe, because it allowed me to meet my life partner and because it also allows my daughter to live on its slopes. But Etna is also the yardstick with which I measure my existence on this Earth: it reminds me of what I am and how ephemeral my footprint is on its sand.

Thank you, Dr. Neri. You are certainly a lucky man, but we too are lucky to have, around us, competent, attentive and generous people like you, like all of you scientists at the INGV in Catania. Good work! (PHOTOS TAKEN FROM MARCO NERI’S FACEBOOK PAGE )