Sue is Head of Volcanology at the British Geological Survey. Her expertise is wide-ranging, including a period as Director of the volcanic observatory in Montserrat. As a result, she is familiar with the multi-disciplinary study of volcanoes, the real-time analysis of data and the need for rapid synthesis of information for decision-makers. Loughlin was a member of the Scientific Advisory Group in Emergencies (SAGE) committee during the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010 and is involved in ongoing risk analysis initiatives led by the UK Cabinet Office to make the UK more resilient to future eruptions. She is currently involved in a wide range of research initiatives at local to global scales most of which aim to use excellent science to benefit society. Among others, these include investigating the near- and far-field effects of atmospheric ash injection during the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption and the NERC Global Volcano Model project which provides a platform for volcanic hazards and risk information at local to global scales.