Katia Krafft was a French volcanologist. She was a pioneer in filming, photographing and recording volcanoes, often getting within feet of lava flows. She fell in love with volcanoes when she was a young girl. It is because of her that we have up-close footage and data, as well as a better understanding of active volcanoes today.

Her photography allowed her to work with local governments on safety procedures and helping to develop volcano evacuation procedures. In 1969, Katia was awarded the prize of the Vocation Foundation for her first work of volcanology on active sites.

In June 1991, while filming eruptions at Mount Unzen (Japan), she and her husband were caught in a pyroclastic flow, which unexpectedly swept out of the channel that previous smaller flows had been following and onto the ridge they were standing on. They were killed instantly along with 41 other people, including fellow volcanologist Harry Glicken, several firefighters and journalists also covering the eruptions.

The Krafft Medal honors the Krafft memory and is awarded every 4 years by the IAVCEI Scientific Assembly to someone who has made significant contributions to volcanology through service to communities affected by volcanic activity.