Translational Volcanology

The technology humans use to monitor volcanic activity has improved drastically in the past 50 years, and we are better able to predict and handle volcanoes than we were before.  However, there are still significant limitations in our models.  Volcanology is a lot like meteorology, in that even experts can only predict so much beforehand.  Also, though there is a worldwide network of scientific observers, communication between groups and with governments is still lacking, so even if an eruption is properly predicted, necessary measures are not always put into place in time.

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_05_04/caredit.a1200050