School's out for Summer: Introducing New Interns at HVO! — USGS Volcano Watch

As another school year ends, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) welcomes two new summer interns: Kamalani Poepoe and Ruth Gale. With an ongoing eruption at the summit Kīlauea, now is the perfect time for these interns to contribute to ongoing work to better understand eruptions in Hawaii. 

Kama is currently an undergraduate at the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo with a major in geology and minor in astronomy. She is participating in geoscience research at HVO through the Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Sciences (PIPES). This is Kama’s second year as a PIPES intern at HVO and her knowledge in the world of geoscience continues to grow.

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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory summer 2025 interns Kamalani Poepoe (left) and Ruth Gale (right). Kamalani is pictured earlier this year on the rim of Kaluapele, the summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park during one of the fountaining phases of the summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu. Ruth is pictured standing on the rim of one of two volcanic pit craters in Idaho, known as Crater Rings, which formed within the past two million years. USGS photo.

In her first summer with the observatory, Kama explored the field of petrology, analyzing lava samples erupted during the June 2023 eruption at Kīlauea volcano to gain a better understanding of how and why Kīlauea continues to erupt. This summer, Kama is using her petrology analysis techniques to study eruptions at Kīlauea’s summit between 2020 and 2023.

Kama continues to grow her geoscience toolbox, working with a seismologist at HVO to integrate earthquake data recorded during these eruptions to more uniquely constrain how and where magma was sourced during these events. Kama is being mentored by scientists Kendra Lynn (petrology) and Ninfa Bennington (seismology) at HVO, and Lis Gallant (physical volcanology) at the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Geology Department. Her summer experience will include work in the geochemistry lab, learning basic computer programming skills, and aiding in eruption response at Kīlauea’s summit.

Ruth Gale recently completed her undergraduate degree at Pomona College, California, with majors in math and geology, and a minor in physics. This fall, Ruth will head to the Stanford University to work on a PhD that integrates the fields of fluid mechanics, petrology, and geodesy to understand the mechanisms that lead to lava fountaining at active volcanoes.

Geodesy uses surveying tools such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or satellite radar to measure subtle changes in the shape of the Earth’s surface. These data are used to model underground Earth processes such as magma migration and storage. During her summer at HVO, Ruth will be expanding her skills in the field of geodesy by studying the ongoing and dramatic lava fountaining episodes at Kīlauea’s summit.

Specifically, Ruth will analyze GPS data from HVO’s permanent stations at Kīlauea summit to look for subtle changes in deformation associated with lava fountaining. Ruth is interested in understanding what portions of the magma storage reservoir at Kīlauea are providing the material being erupted during these lava fountaining events. She aims to answer the question: what can we learn about the structure of magma storage at Kīlauea from these fountaining episodes? Her summer will include computer programming and analysis focused on this topic as well as assisting the deformation team with field activities such as maintaining HVO’s permanent GPS network.

HVO staff look forward to working with Kama (again!) and Ruth as they pursue their research questions. Between their research and the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea, these HVO interns will be busy. We wish them an insightful summer of science as they enter this period learning and growth

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.