Omari Graham

Research Assistant - Volcanology

Contact

Email
omari.graham@sta.uwi.edu

Telephone
1-868-662-4659 409 ext

Qualifications

Bsc. Physics and Environmental Physics, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (2009)

(PhD). Volcanology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (ongoing)

Expertise

  • Public education
  • Science/risk communication

Bio

Tobago born and bred, Omari traces his interest in the earth sciences to a series of damaging earthquakes that affected the island in 1997. After graduating from The UWI, St. Augustine with a BSc. in Physics and Environmental Physics he joined the UWI Seismic Research Centre in 2009. His first assignment was to the Trinidad and Tobago strong-motion project and later worked on seismic microzonation projects for Jamaica and Grenada. In 2013 Omari began working in the centre’s Education & Outreach (E&O) section.

As part of the E&O team Omari develops content for student workshops, manages the centre’s student internships and is also heavily involved the Seismology in Schools (SIS) Project. The SIS project maintains a network of eight seismometers in secondary schools across Trinidad and Tobago. His public education work has also led him to become involved in film production at the UWI-SRC. Omari enjoys generating interest in science among young people and making current science relevant to their daily lives. He continues to do this during UWI-SRC outreach campaigns throughout the territories monitored by the centre. Omari is currently completing a PhD in Volcanology. His research interests include: volcanic crisis communications, crisis management and volcano observatory practice.

Major Publications

Journal Publications

  • Graham, Omari, Thalia Thomas, Anna Hicks, Stacey Edwards, Alia Juman, Arti Ramroop, and Richard Robertson. 2024. “Facts, Faith and Facebook: Science Communication During the 2020–21 La Soufrière, St Vincent Volcanic Eruption.”  Geological Society, London, Special Publications 539 (1):SP539-2022-289. doi: doi:10.1144/SP539-2022-289.
  • E.P. Joseph, M. Camejo-Harry, T. Christopher, R. Contreras-Arratia, S. Edwards, O. Graham, M. Johnson, A. Juman, J.L. Latchman, L. Lynch, V.L. Miller, I. Papadopoulos, K. Pascal, R. Robertson, G. A. Ryan, A. Stinton, R. Grandin, I. Hamling, M-J. Jo, J. Barclay, P. Cole, B.V. Davies, and R.S.J. Sparks 2021. Responding to eruptive transitions during the 2020–2021 eruption of La Soufrière volcano, St. Vincent. Nature Communications. July 2022. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31901-4
  • Graham, Omari, Stacey Edwards, and Richard Robertson. 2022. “Managing Stakeholder Relationships for Improved Situation Awareness During Volcanic Emergencies: An Eastern Caribbean Case Study.”  International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 67:102656. doi: Read paper.
  • Graham, O., Edwards, S., and Robertson, R. (2022). More than a warning: Expanding the role of communication in Eastern Caribbean volcano science. Frontiers in Earth Science 10. doi: 10.3389/feart.2022.907559. 

Conference Presentations

  • O. Graham, T. Thomas, A. Hicks, S. Edwards, A. Juman, A. Ramroop and R. Robertson. Real Time Risk Perception: The impact of social media monitoring during the 2020 – 2021 La Soufriere, St. Vincent Eruption (Oral).  Explosions, Ash and Lahars – Country Conference 2023. The 2020-21 Eruption of La Soufriere Volcano St. Vincent. March 29 – 30, 2023, St. Vincent.
  •  O. Graham, Stacey Edwards, Richard Robertson. Roles, Rules & Relationships: Lessons from the Caribbean science-management interface (Oral – Invited Early Career presenter). IAVCEI 2023 Scientific Assembly, 30 January – 3 February, Rotorua, New Zealand.
  • O. Graham, Stacey Edwards, Richard Robertson. Toward Integrated Volcano Early Warning: Issues and Opportunities for the Caribbean Region (Oral). IAVCEI 2023 Scientific Assembly, 30 January – 3 February, Rotorua, New Zealand.
  • O. Graham, V. Miller, N. Perez, R. Robertson and G. Salerno. Special session on recent eruptions: hazards, impacts, and consequences Part 1&2. Cities on Volcanoes 11, 13-17 June 2022, Heraklion, Greece. Session Convenors.
  • O. Graham and S. Edwards. VALS In Caribbean Volcanic Crises: St. Vincent 2020 – 2021. Volcano Alert Level Systems: Exploring Standardisation, Networks, And Resources Pre-Conference Workshop. Cities on Volcanoes 11, 13-17 June 2022, Heraklion, Greece. Oral Presentation.
  • Gezahegn Yirgu , Supriyati Andreastuti , Maria-Antonia Bornas , Gezahegn Yirgu , Esline Garaebiti, Omari Graham, Victoria Miller, Adalbert Syavulisembo Muhindo, José Luis Palma, Natalia Pardo, Claudia Inés Rivera, Amdemichael Zafu Tadesse, Blas Ureña. INVOLC: The IAVCEI International Network for the Advancement of Global Volcanology in Resource-Constrained Settings. Cities on Volcanoes 11, Heraklion, Crete, Greece, 12-17 2022. Oral Presentation.
  • Graham O, Robertson R, Edwards S. (2017) Communicating science during Eastern Caribbean volcanic emergencies. The 10th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management, Nassau, Bahamas, 4 – 9th December 2017. Oral.
  • Graham O, Robertson R, Edwards S, Ash C, Juman A. (2016) Engaging youth in raising hazard awareness in the Eastern Caribbean. Cities on Volcanoes 9, Puerto Veras-Chile, 20 – 25th November 2016. Oral.
  • Graham O, Edwards S, Robertson R, Ash C, Juman A. (2015) The UWI Seismic Research Centre Education & Outreach Section: A brief history. Human Communication Studies Conference, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad 24-25th September 2015. Oral.
  • Graham O, Edwards S, Robertson R, Ash C, Juman A. (2015) Education & Outreach at The UWI Seismic Research Centre: A multi-faceted approach to risk reduction using public education in the Eastern Caribbean. 20th Caribbean Geological Conference, Port of Spain, Trinidad 17 – 22nd May 2015. Oral.

Other

  • Graham, O. (2022). “Remote Learning: Lessons from a World Away”, in: The Hammer. (Trinidad: The Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago). Read article.

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