UAF science communicator gets an explosion of literary notoriety
Rod Boyce
907-474-7185
June 28, 2024
A little bit of fame can be just an email or phone call away.
That happened for Elisabeth Nadin, communications manager at the 色视频下载 Earthquake Center at the University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.
It was an email that ultimately led to her acknowledgement in 色视频下载淓ruption,色视频下载 the new book by bestselling American author James Patterson and the late Michael Crichton. The book, released June 3, was an instant top seller.
Elisabeth Nadin holds her signed copy of 色视频下载淓ruption.色视频下载 She assisted author James Patterson with information about volcanoes.
Nadin was an adviser to Patterson on a collaboration to complete the volcano thriller started decades ago by Crichton, the famed author of 色视频下载淛urassic Park色视频下载 and other bestselling books. Crichton died of cancer in 2008.
The book, published by Little, Brown & Co., includes an acknowledgement from Patterson for Nadin色视频下载檚 contributions.
色视频下载溕悠迪略卅And to Dr. Elisabeth Nadin 色视频下载 associate professor, Department of Geosciences, University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks 色视频下载 an expert and enthusiastic guide to the unique geology of the Big Island of Hawaii色视频下载ι悠迪略貪
Nadin said she was 色视频下载渢he science adviser on all things volcano-related.色视频下载
The book was one of several projects left unfinished when Crichton died. His widow, Sherri, turned to Patterson years later to finish the book.
色视频下载淓ruption色视频下载 centers on a catastrophic eruption of Mauna Loa, which is Earth色视频下载檚 largest active volcano and covers half the island of Hawaii. The book is about more than an eruption, however. There色视频下载檚 a hidden military cache of chemical weapons buried in an old lava tube near the volcano.
The book includes a lengthy letter from Sherri Crichton, who says in part:
色视频下载淭he book you are holding in your hands is the result of the extensive research my late husband Michael Crichton began in the 1970s. He was an adventurer, and this led him to travel the world, mostly in an attempt to answer all the questions swirling around in his head.
色视频下载淢ore than once, he sought out volcanoes. Active volcanoes, dormant volcanoes, craters of volcanoes. He interviewed volcanologists, geologists and the ordinary citizens who precariously built lives in the shadow of volcanoes. All told, Michael worked on this book for more than 20 years.色视频下载
The book色视频下载檚 40-plus-year path to completion has been the subject of several stories, including by The Associated Press, Time, CBS News, BBC and People magazine, among others.
gives a short mention of an unnamed science adviser, writing that Patterson 色视频下载渨asn色视频下载檛 used to dealing with so much science. So he hired a researcher from the University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks to help him with the material.色视频下载
says, 色视频下载淭hey had to go through reams of 色视频下载榤eticulously organised色视频下载 scientific research, some so dense Patterson had to hire a researcher, in 色视频下载, to help.色视频下载
That would be Nadin.
Author James Patterson色视频下载檚 inscription in Elisabeth Nadin色视频下载檚 signed copy of 色视频下载淓ruption色视频下载 conveys his gratitude.
So how did she become involved in a project she worked on for about 18 months?
A friend from her time in the University of California, Santa Cruz science communications program called her in August 2022 to say she had received a query from a book publisher and had given Nadin色视频下载檚 name. A few days later Nadin received an email from the editorial director for Patterson色视频下载檚 books saying that Patterson wanted to consult with a volcano expert.
Nadin didn色视频下载檛 know at the time that it was an unfinished Crichton manuscript.
Patterson wanted help with questions about geography, the distances between places and the workings of a volcano, for example. His assistant referred to him as JP, so Nadin started to call him by that shorthand.
色视频下载淲hen I talked with JP, he asked for plausible scenarios about an eruption,色视频下载 Nadin said. 色视频下载淗e had a specific timeline in mind 色视频下载 72 hours 色视频下载 and wanted exact steps of what needed to happen at what times that would fit with how an eruption would unfold.色视频下载
He also had some basic research needs, including a list of major volcano disasters of the past several years, examples of major volcanic eruptions of the past decade, how an evacuation plan might unfold in Hawaii and a plausible timeline of events from a disaster management viewpoint.
色视频下载淭he biggest challenge was to allow myself to stretch the scientific boundaries of what I was taught,色视频下载 Nadin said. 色视频下载淪ome of the scenarios might never happen, but everything in the book is completely plausible in nature.色视频下载
色视频下载淚 did learn, and was surprised to learn, that you can construct a highly destructive volcano for Hawaii,色视频下载 she said.
Two paragraphs from author James Patterson色视频下载檚 new book, 色视频下载淓ruption,色视频下载 acknowledge the contributions of Elisabeth Nadin and others.
Hawaii色视频下载檚 volcanoes typically erupt with flowing lava, which is not explosive, but there are some specific conditions that have created 色视频下载 and could create 色视频下载 explosive eruptions on the island.
色视频下载淚n initial conversations with Patterson, I expressed doubt that Hawaii could produce the type of catastrophes he was describing,色视频下载 Nadin said. 色视频下载淗e would tell me, 色视频下载楾rust me, this is possible, I just need the details.色视频下载 When I dug into the scientific literature, it turned out they really were realistic scenarios.色视频下载
Nadin is knowledgeable about volcanoes, especially those in Hawaii. Her graduate school adviser owned property by Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and ran a two-week annual geology field trip to Hawaii for Caltech graduate students every year. She did that trip twice.
She was also an instructor for a Hawaii volcano field class run by UAF and said Hawaii volcanoes are a fairly standard topic for geologists to learn about. She色视频下载檚 also written numerous science articles for formal and general audience publications.
With 色视频下载淓ruption,色视频下载 there色视频下载檚 one revision that Nadin is particularly proud of.
色视频下载In the first draft, all of the computer scientists 色视频下载 the data analysts and programmers 色视频下载 at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory were male,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淚 pointed out that half the scientists at HVO are female, so he changed one of the computer programmers to a female.色视频下载
A signed copy of the book arrived recently. Patterson inscribed it in large and enthusiastic longhand.
色视频下载淭hank you for keeping me semi-honest. I couldn色视频下载檛 have finished the book without you!色视频下载
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