Prof. Richard (Richie) Robertson is a Vincentian Geologist who has spent the past 30+ years in the Eastern Caribbean investigating geologic hazards and working with local people and their organizations to reduce vulnerability to these hazards. His passion for volcanoes was sparked by his experience of the 1979 explosive eruption of La Soufriere volcano of St. Vincent and led to his studying Geology at UWI Mona Campus and undertaking post-graduate studies at the  University of Leeds (Volcanology) and UWI (Geology). Prof. Robertson joined the staff at the Seismic Research Unit in 1993 after serving for six years as Head of the local volcano-monitoring unit in St. Vincent (the Soufriere Monitoring Unit).

He served several tours of duty as Chief Scientist of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory during the period 1995-1999 and was its Director from October 1998 – March 1999.  He was the Head of the Seismic Research Unit during the period 2004-2008 and then Director of the renamed The UWI Seismic Research Centre from 2008-2011 and 2013-2019. Since joining the Seismic Research Centre he has been involved in a variety of activities. These include: the creation of volcanic hazard maps and establishment of volcano monitoring networks (mainly geodetic); public education and outreach campaigns and management of the scientific response to the 1995 Soufriere Hills Volcano on Montserrat and the 2020-2021 eruption of La Soufriere Volcano on St. Vincent. His research interests include all aspects of volcanic hazard and risk, the evolution of volcanism in the Eastern Caribbean, and public engagement in science. He is enthusiastic about communicating scientific information to vulnerable island communities and building their capacity to cope with hazards.