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Finn Illsley-Kemp

@seismologyfinn.bsky.social
2.6K followers 1K following 175 posts

Senior research fellow in volcano seismology at Victoria University of Wellington. Studying Aotearoa's restless volcanoes one quake at a time www.finniganillsleykemp.com

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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
This morning I spoke to RNZ about the problem of insecure work at our universities. Research staff across the country are made to work under perpetual fixed-term contracts with no clear route to secure jobs. www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
rnz.co.nz
What's driving the growth of "Frankenjobs" in our universities?
Researchers working in the university sector say their fixed term contracts are more like "Frankenjobs", pieced together with short term funding and limited hours.
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
New Zealand essentially does not currently have a functioning science funding system. It is a complete mess which we are forced to navigate
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
And comparisons to the Jaws mayor would only be applicable if they'd had scientists consistently checking for sharks over several weeks, and had found none
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Andy McKay @korimakoecology.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
I'm not entirely sure why people comparing this to the COVID response, where we followed the science, are upset that they Mayor appears to be following the science.
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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
The National Infrastructure Plan, released today, sets out a vision for a more efficient, affordable future. But is infrastructure minister Chris Bishop willing to accept that he is part of the problem? thespinoff.co.nz/politics/17-...
thespinoff.co.nz
The government’s infrastructure plan points the blame at the government
The National Infrastructure Plan, released today, sets out a vision for a more efficient, affordable future. But is infrastructure minister Chris Bishop willing to accept that he is part of the proble...
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Rather than government commitment to an enquiry it would be nice to see some commitment to action Calls for investigation into Moa Point Treatment Plant failure www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
rnz.co.nz
Calls for investigation into Moa Point Treatment Plant failure
PM Christopher Luxon told Morning Report the failure was "catastrophic" and he would be further talking with the mayor later on Monday.
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Recommending that visitors have their passports on them at all times...I couldn't with good conscience recommend that my students attend AGU. What a sad, terrible situation
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samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 30/10/2025
It's wild that the new zealand govt sees what's going on in the states and rather than going "wow we have a huge opportunity to recruit foreign talent, let's invest" (like aus, canada, EU etc have done) instead they're like "ooh cutting science to the bone, cool idea bro" #nzpol
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
They do say it's the queer capital of Aotearoa 🌈
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Dealing with earthquake hazard and risk is a complex and nuanced problem, with no easy answers. For the most part, the scientific experts think the changes announced today are a positive step forward
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Very happy to see El Mestel's work on seismicity at Taupō volcano published today in JGR: agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/... El used a new seismic network to look at Taupō in more detail than anyone has done before
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Seismicity From Modern Magmatic Activity Beneath Taupō Volcano, Aotearoa New Zealand
Seismicity beneath the northern part of Lake Taupō is directly related to the volcano, while other seismicity is tectonically controlled Newly observed arcuate shape at ∼6 km depth beneath the la...
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Bella Duncan @antarcticabella.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Geologists of bluesky, great opportunity at Otago Uni, NZ for a Lecturer in Earth Science! Special shout out to my #biomarker colleagues, the dept has a well set up, near new Org Geochem lab without a PI, with GCMS/FID and HPLC, if anyone wants a change of scene! ⚒🧪🥼🌊 otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
otago.taleo.net
Lecturer/Pūkenga - Geology
Click the link provided to see the complete job description.
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
I think Andrew Little is getting an overly harsh reception from Welly people on here. I don't agree with everything he says, but his policies have evolved to basically be what any progressive Wellington urbanist would want, especially on housing and transport
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
Wellingtonians! Do you want to know more about the geological forces that have shaped our region, and what we should prepare for in the future? On 21st August I'll be talking at the Critical Signals public space on Taranaki Street, come along! Free registration: criticalsignals.nz/programme/ci...
criticalsignals.nz
City on the Edge
Critical Signals explores practical and visionary responses to an era of collapses.
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Michael Plank @michaelplanknz.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Further cuts fund new tech institute – Expert Reaction www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/08/06/f... "The movement of funds from the Investigator-led Marsden Fund ... is absolutely an attack on fundamental research and on internationally-recognised research excellence" - @nicgaston.bsky.social
sciencemediacentre.co.nz
Further cuts fund new tech institute - Expert Reaction
Details of new changes to research funding under sweeping science sector reforms have been released today. The briefing confirms that set up of the NZ Institute for Advanced Technology will be paid fo...
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Fumihiko Ikegami @fikgm.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Thanks to the authority in NZ, we have English version of the picture! www.geonet.org.nz/news/7KdKuPl...
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
You lot are grumpy this morning! A reminder that even a small tsunami is not the same as a normal wave. They can still cause significant currents and rips and are very dangerous for anyone who was thinking of going into the ocean this morning.
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Paul Le Comte 🇳🇿🇨🇦📷 @paullecomtephoto.nz · 30/07/2025
Whops, the live stream: Hiroo, Japan www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBQH...
youtube.com
LIVE: Japan under tsunami warning, US West Coast under advisory after 8.8 quake strikes off Russia
YouTube video by KATU News
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
About to start a lecture as my students watch a livestream of the tsunami arriving in Japan, quite surreal
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Big earthquake in Kamchatka as seen on my RaspberryShake in Island Bay
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Fantastic food at Supra tonight, the octopus rice clay pot was a highlight, go check them out Welly!
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Great talk by Anna Miller of @vicuniwgtn.bsky.social all about the absolute monster Whakamaru eruption #iavcei2025
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
European airports are a miserable experience, give me regional NZ anyday
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
A genuinely great move by Minister Bishop, hurrah! Now let's get those wrecking balls swinging
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Now that's a fold!
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Troy Baisden @troybaisden.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
“I have no doubt that if we were unlucky to experience a tsunami in our lifetime, a future Royal Commission of Inquiry will definitely find whoever defunded this monitoring centre as culpable.” -Ilan Noy newsroom.co.nz/2025/06/12/n...
newsroom.co.nz
Quake, tsunami monitoring at risk from job cuts
Analysts watching for potential tsunamis, earthquakes and eruptions are due to be laid off despite experts warning of the risks
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Veronika Meduna @veronikameduna.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
My latest for @science.org on NZ's "shuffling of deck chairs" science and innovation budget, with @nzscientists.bsky.social et al and excellent editing by @mattbwarren.bsky.social www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
New Zealand, betting on innovation and economic growth, cuts existing science funds
Scientists warn that chronic underfunding and diverting support away from fundamental research may undermine efforts to boost the economy
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
The Endeavour Fund, New Zealand's biggest contestable research fund, has just been abruptly closed for 2026. This comes after last minute changes to the Marsden process, and still no information on the fellowship scheme for this year. It's as if they are deliberately making it difficult to survive
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
Christopher Luxon is a weak leader of a lamentable right-wing government here in NZ, but even he said in April "Our migrant communities contribute so much to our country – I’m very proud they get to call New Zealand home", the contrast with what is meant to be a progressive UK government is stark
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Dr Lucy Stewart @lcsnz.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
I know pay equity is rightly taking up all the airtime tonight but 3/6 of the newly announced members of the Science and Technology Council have backgrounds in dairy specifically? No disrespect to the individuals in question but that's just embarrassing for us as a country
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Fantastic to see this work published. If you want to get your hands on 17 years of earthquake data from the TVZ, then check out the paper and head over to Zenodo: zenodo.org/records/1509...
zenodo.org
Earthquake catalogue for the Taupō Volcanic Zone, New Zealand, 2007–2024
These files contain information on the earthquake catalogue presented in Illsley-Kemp & Mestel (2024). This contains earthquakes which occurred in the Taupō Volcanic Zone, New Zealand, between 2007–20...
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
It was great to talk to 1NewsNZ about the need for the return of scientific monitoring to Whakaari/White Island. Without monitoring equipment on the island we are unable to forecast or detect eruptions with speed or accuracy. Watch the story here: www.1news.co.nz/2024/02/05/w...
1news.co.nz
Whakaari: Scientists planning return to reinstall key equipment
Sensors and cameras have stopped transmitting vital data, because no one's been allowed to service them since the volcano erupted in 2019.
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
Yesterday I spoke to Newstalk ZB's Drive show about the Auckland Volcanic Field and scientist's estimate that there is a 10% chance of an eruption in the next 50 years. Listen to my interview here: www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heath...
newstalkzb.co.nz
Explained: Expert assesses the odds of a volcanic eruption impacting Auckland
One expert has warned Aucklanders should be prepared for the chance of a volcanic eruption.
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
It definitely does feel like there's a buzz back on campus. Great news for the university and city!
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Geordie Rogers @geordierogers.co.nz · 31/03/2025
Rebecca Matthews is the most effective city councillor we’ve seen in a long time. It’s a shame the Labour Party doesn’t appear to want someone who has made the largest impact for working people in Wellington this century thespinoff.co.nz/politics/01-...
thespinoff.co.nz
Windbag: Is Labour trying to freeze out its strongest Yimby?
Wellington City councillor Rebecca Matthews is one of New Zealand’s most effective advocates for housing reform. But it appears the Labour Party doesn't want her any more.
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
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Dr. Judith Hubbard @judithgeology.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
⚒️ 🧪 A catastrophic M7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar today, rupturing ~200 km of the strike-slip Sagaing Fault. The USGS PAGER alert is red, indicating severe damage and many fatalities. Impacts extend from Myanmar into neighboring countries, including Thailand. What do we know so far?
earthquakeinsights.substack.com
Catastrophic M7.7 earthquake caused by rupture of Sagaing Fault in Myanmar
Limited reporting thus far from Myanmar, but this is a big one
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Another day another great piece of work from an excellent MSc student at @vicuniwgtn.bsky.social, and this one is a little different. Kristian's work created a virtual reality environment to view volcano monitoring data in three-dimensions. Check out the Volcanica paper here: doi.org/10.30909/vol...
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Brian Terbush @theterbush.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
From 1900-1904, as a result of heat brought to the surface by the tragic 1886 eruption of Tarawera volcano in New Zealand, the Waimangu Geyser ("black water") was the largest geyser in the world, at over 400 meters tall. ...I just can't possibly imagine watching one of these eruptions.
Image of a photograph of a pillar of black steam jetting up into the sky.
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
Bit of a hectic day talking to people about this earthquake, this is an interesting part of the country that we know little about. My colleagues at @vicuniwgtn.bsky.social are conducting research to better understand the tectonics of the Puysegur subduction zone www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/67-southl...
nzherald.co.nz
6.8 Southland quake struck in tsunami-prone region ‘poorly understood’ by scientists
The area of today's quake has had big events but remains 'very poorly understood'.
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Henning @geohenning.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
My little #Raspishake seismometer is about 18.400km (!) away from the M6.7 #earthquake in New Zealand this night (UTC). The seismic waves arrived here in Herne, Germany approximately 20 mins after origin time. 🧪 ⚒️
Screenshot of my Raspishake seismometer signal after the M6.7 earthquake in New Zealand on Mar 25, 2025 UTC
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
This morning @thepost-nz.bsky.social did a write up MSc student Bethany's recent work using RaspberryShake hobby seismometers for earthquake research. These little things are amazing and could really help us understand the natural hazards we face in New Zealand www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
Love to see this pushback from our locally elected representatives. Luxon is looking increasingly desperate
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Newsroom NZ @newsroom.co.nz · 12/03/2025
From Victoria University of Wellington – Analysis: In stipulating at least half of funded research projects must possess direct economic impacts, the Government is attacking the ability of academia to serve as the critic and conscience of society
newsroom.co.nz
Keep politics out of research funding in NZ
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Russell Brown @publicaddress.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
This is a wonderful story from Te Ao with Moana. Not only the waka emerging from the Chatham Island sands – which may be the most import find in Polynesian archeology – but the people around it. Young Nikau is a bit of a star. Find 20 minutes to watch it today. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cnt...
youtube.com
A waka found on the beach could be the most important discovery in New Zealand archaeology.
YouTube video by Te Ao with Moana
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Thomas Nash @thomasnash.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Tory Whanau is the first Wellington mayor in a generation to tackle head on the city’s twin crises of constrained housing supply and neglected water infrastructure and to do so by actually delivering a pro-housing district plan and a water investment programme capable of solving these problems. 1/
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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Vision for Wellington's first event drew a large crowd, but their ideas for the future if the city mostly involved going back to the past. thespinoff.co.nz/society/21-0...
thespinoff.co.nz
A vision of the 90s: James Cameron’s Vision for Wellington event, reviewed
The new political group's first event drew a large crowd whose ideas for the city's future mostly involved going back to the past.
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Eddie Clark @dreddieclark.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Had an OIA on the Marsden decisions land. This appears to be the ground zero and the level of thinking Collins put into gutting humanities funding. I have found no actual *advice* or analysis on the removal of humanities panels and literally zero engagement with Royal Society or Universities.
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Finn Illsley-Kemp @seismologyfinn.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
Stoked to see our paper, led by MSc student Bethany Hughes, published in @weareseismica.bsky.social! It shows that we can use Raspberry Shake seismometers to improve earthquake characterisation in Wellington, sometimes quantity over quality can work! seismica.library.mcgill.ca/article/view...
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