Rate My Professor Madeleine Humphreys

Professor Madeleine Humphreys is a Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University. Her research focuses on petrology, volcanology, and magmatism, investigating processes of magma storage, metal enrichment, geochemical evolution, and migration within the crust using natural materials and experimental approaches. Specific interests include crystal textures to quantify magma solidification and physical behaviour of crystal mushes, volatiles in volcanic processes such as the timing of magmatic fluid exsolution, and enrichment and depletion of metals during granite solidification and alteration. She leads an active volcanology-petrology group, with current members including Dr Amanda Lindoo on crystal shape in plagioclase and Dr David Colby on volatiles in apatite. Current PhD students supervised by her include Gemma Brown on apatite volatile geochemistry in the Canary Islands, Katie Schofield on crystal textures and chemistry in the Adamello batholith, and Ella Richmond on lithium enrichment and mobilisation in granites. She co-supervises additional students on crystal mush properties at Illimaussaq, Greenland, and zoned pumice falls in southern Tenerife. Recent postdoctoral researchers include Dr Martin Mangler, now at University of Southampton, Dr Alex Iveson at PNNL USA, and Dr Charline Lormand at University of Geneva. Former postgraduate students hold positions at universities such as Manchester, Lancaster, and St Andrews.

As Principal Investigator, Professor Humphreys has secured ERC Consolidator funding on crystal textures and apatite geochemistry for eruption forecasting, NERC funding on plagioclase textures for mush processes, and co-investigator role on NERC sintering effects on eruptive behaviour. Key publications include 'Magma heating by decompression-driven crystallization beneath andesite volcanoes' (Nature, 2006), 'Magma evolution and open-system processes at Shiveluch Volcano: insights from phenocryst zoning' (Journal of Petrology, 2006), 'Late-stage volatile saturation as a potential trigger for explosive volcanic eruptions' (Nature Geoscience, 2016), and 'Experimental evidence for polybaric differentiation of primitive arc basalt beneath St. Vincent, Lesser Antilles' (Journal of Petrology, 2015). She has received the 2019 Wager Medal from IAVCEI, 2012 Max Hey Medal from the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain, 2008 President's Award from the Geological Society of London, served as Associate Editor for Journal of Petrology (2020-2024), and editorial board member for Geology (2017). Her research impacts understanding of volcanic hazards, magmatic systems, and critical mineral resources.