I am a geoscientist with over 3 decades of experience. My academic area is in the fields of tectonics, structural geology/geological mapping, island arcs, volcanic & igneous geology/geochemistry, disaster and risk reduction and sustainable development particularly international development. I have worked and live din numerous countries and alongside numerous cultures including conflict countries such as Afghanistan. I am presently at the Auckland University of Technology introducing geoscience to this university for the first time.