MVO encourages external researchers to study the Soufriere Hills Volcano as these collaborations foster a greater understanding of the volcano.
Researchers intending to work on the Soufriere Hills Volcano or on MVO data are required to adhere to the Observatory's Research & Data Policy. Special attention should be paid to the following stipulations:

1 Any research that requires entry to the exclusion zone must have logistical support from the MVO. This support is subject to the level of volcanic activity and is secondary to monitoring requirements.

2 MVO data are copyright and cannot be used without prior permission.

3 A concise proposal outlining the intended scope of work must be submitted to the MVO Director prior to visiting Montserrat.

4 As part of the MVO's education and outreach activities, researchers may be required to participate in a public information forum (e.g. radio interview or community meeting) to discuss their work.

Collaboration with external scientists is encouraged at MVO. MVO recognises that the scientific staff are not able to comprehensively work on all the data acquired by MVO, and that greater understanding of the volcano is aided by collaborative work. The following text describes the policy for collaboration between MVO staff and visiting scientists, and includes a protocol for data sharing.

Read more: Research & Data Policy