Brent Alloway, PhD

Dr Brent Alloway is an experienced Quaternary earth scientist - a jack of all trades and a master of nothing - with diverse expertise in tephrochronology, geochemistry, geochronology (ITPFT technique), paleoenvironmental reconstruction, landscape evolution, soil-geomorphic relationships, volcanic & coastal hazard mapping/assessment and the characterisation and mapping of soils and cover-bed deposits. Brent has a colourful employment history having taught at University (Senior Lecturer at Auckland University, 1993-1998; Associate Professor at Victoria University, 2009-2016) and held senior researcher and management roles with GNS Science (1998-2006) - including NZ Chief Volcanologist (1999-2003). Brent also has industry experience having successfully worked (2006-2008) as an exploration & project geologist in SE Ecuador. Brent was part of a small team who discovered, characterised and defined the Fruta Del Norte (FDN) epithermal gold deposit – the largest gold discovery (14 million oz’s) in South America in the last 20 years. In November 2009, Brent received the highest distinction from the NZ Geological Society (McKay Hammer Award) in recognition for meritorious research contribution to NZ earth science.

 Brent is particularly interested in the application of tephrochronology as a tool for unravelling landscape histories and paleoenvironmental change as well as for assessing volcanic hazard. This interest is reflected in the breadth of his extensive list of tephra-related publications. Brent has authored two chapters on Tephrochronology - one in the four-volume Encyclopaedia of Quaternary Science and the other in the Encyclopedia of Scientific Dating Methods. Some of Brent’s recent publications relating to his research in Chile are listed below.

Brent is now formally affiliated with the School of Environment, the Auckland University, New Zealand, and the Centre of Archaeological Studies (CAS) at the University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia, where he actively participates in tephra-related research in southern Chile and Argentina, as well as hominin-related research in Indonesia. In fact Brent is comfortable and happy to work anywhere he's invited to apply his skill. On several occasions, Brent has organised and led a 3-week-long academic field-course in southern Chile and Argentina directed at 3rd and 4th year NZ university students (such a field-course could easily be organised for Chilean students).

At present, Brent spends 3 to 4-months a year at his property in Frutillar, X Region, with his Chilean wife (Walescka Pino-Ojeda) - which he conveniently utilises as a field base for his current research collaborations in Chile and Argentina.

Recent international publications relating to Brent’s research involvement in Chile:

1. Alloway, B.V., Moreno, P.I., Pearce, N., De Pol-Holz, Henríquez, W., Pesce, O., Sagredo E, Villarosa, G., Outes, V. Stratigraphy, age and correlation of Lepué tephra: a widespread c. 11,000 cal. a BP marker horizon sourced from the Chaitén Sector of southern Chile. Journal of Quaternary Science doi: 10.1002/jqs.2976 (2017)

2. Alloway, B.V., Pearce, N.J.G., Moreno, P.I., Villarosa , G., Jara I., Ricardo De Pol-Holz, R., and Outes, V. An 18,000 year-long eruptive record from Volcán Chaitén, northwestern Patagonia: paleoenvironmental and hazard-assessment implications. Quaternary Science Reviews 168: 151-181. (2017).

3. Alloway, B.V., Pearce, N.J., Villarosa, G., Outes, V., and Moreno, P.I. Multiple melt bodies fed the AD 2011 eruption of Puyehue-Cordón Caulle, Chile.  Nature SR 5, 17589; doi: 10.1038/srep17589 (2015).

4. Henríquez, W.I., Moreno, P.I., Alloway, B.V., Villarosa, G. Vegetation and climate change, fire-regime shifts and volcanic disturbance in Chiloé Continental (43°S) during the last 10,000 years Quaternary Science Reviews 123, 158-167 (2015).

5. Moreno, P.I, Alloway, B.V., Henriquez, W.I., Villarosa, G., Outes, V., De Pol-Holz, R., Pearce, N.G. A high resolution record of intermittent explosive volcanism in the Chaiten Sector of the southern Andes (43°S) over the last 10,000 years Geology, doi:10.1130/G36248.1 (2014).