In this episode, Sam speaks with Dr. Cansu Culha about her combined passions of dance and science, and turning volcanic processes and earth science into an art form. What would your research look like if you danced it?!

Dr. Cansu Culha (she/her) earned her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and her Ph.D. from Stanford University in geophysics. She researches fluid and thermodynamic processes in Earth Sciences. One of her favourite applications is in understanding volcanic processes. Her mother is from the foothills of Erciyez Volcano in Turkey, and thus, her ancestral relationship with volcanoes fuels her excitement and curiosity for researching them. Ironically, her first time seeing a volcanic eruption was after she defended her Ph.D. thesis on volcanic processes. Dr. Culha’s research spans a wide range of topics, from lava flow mechanics to magma reservoir convection. Her research has been recognized through various awards like the Lieberman and NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Awards, but she is most honoured to be working with other budding scientists.

In addition to her research efforts, she has co-founded an initiative called Art as Science Communication Initiative (Art-SCI), where members find creative ways to engage with their research and communicate them to others.

Instagram: @cansu44

Twitter: @CansuCulha2

Website: cansuculha.weebly.com

Art-SCI: https://art-sci.weebly.com/

Apokalani music: http://www.apokolani.com/home.html

Kumu Pa'a i Ka 'Aina: https://hawaiieesfieldsemester.wordpress.com/about/