Neethu Madhukumar

NEETHU MADHUKUMAR

PhD candidate at James Cook University in the Internet of Things research group

What is your current role?

I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree from James Cook University (JCU), Cairns, Australia. I am part of the Internet of Things research group at JCU. I develop artificial neural network models to provide decision support for precision irrigation. My neural networks analyse geoscience and remote sensing data for developing 'climate and environmental'-smart irrigation strategies. As part of this research, I also investigate the possibilities of improving weather forecast and surface/root-zone soil moisture estimation. With about seventy percent of global freshwater used for irrigation, I endeavour to find solutions to reduce freshwater wastage using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

How did you get to your current position?

During my final year of bachelor's study, I figured out that I am interested in academia and planned for a Ph.D. After completing my masters, I looked for Ph.D. opportunities related to my master's research.  I found the research works done by the Internet of Things (IoT) research group at JCU aligned with my research interests and applied for a Ph.D. position. I received a scholarship from JCU and was able to join the IoT research group at JCU.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Be patient and persistent. Appreciate what you have achieved so far and be kind to yourself.

What made you choose this field?

I believe small steps can lead to big changes. I chose this field of research as I want to make a small but significant positive impact on the environment through better irrigation practices through deep learning technology.

What do you enjoy most about your research?

I find it quite fascinating to see how the artificial neural network works and its potential to bring positive changes to the agriculture sector with reduced environmental impact. Also, I feel very excited to work on emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, and IoT.

What does a typical day in your PhD involve?

 A typical day of my work involves research, coding, academic writing, research meetings, and teaching undergraduate students at JCU. I also try to find time to take my research to the public domain through conferences/symposiums, JCU, online, and media platforms. I want my research to reach a wider audience and create an impact in the real world. Some news articles about my research were featured on: JCU news, ABC Radio, 7News, many international/Australian IT magazines, and SBS.

What advice would you give someone starting a degree/qualification/experience in the same field?

 Your Ph.D. journey will not be easy. There will be a lot of ups and downs. However, working on a project of your interest and having the right supervisory team will make this journey a little bit easier. So, take time and figure out your research area of interest. Next, identify research groups/supervisory teams working on your selected research area and approach for Ph.D. opportunities.

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? Is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

I found working on my research during the COVID-19 pandemic quite challenging. Part of the initial research plan had to be modified due to work from home and limited access to the farm fields. I was able to overcome this problem by raising the possible challenges and roadblocks with my supervisors early on. I also feel the regular online team meetings I organized helped to find solutions faster.

Where are you hoping to end up in your career?

I want to be an academic in the future. I want to continue my research and teach at a university. I feel the happiest when I teach and have always taken up any opportunities that offer teaching-related activities. The teaching opportunities I received in JCU's Indigenous Education and Research Centre and overseas have often been a great source of happiness during the ups and downs of my Ph.D. and master's research. Currently, I am in the final few months of my Ph.D. and am focused on finishing my thesis.

What do you see as the next steps forward in your field?

I believe the Internet of Things (IoT) will revolutionize the agricultural sector. I feel in the future, IoT will drive Australia towards novel technologies for precision agriculture, reducing agriculture pollution and enhancing the quality and quantity of crop yield.

If you would like to find out more about Neethu’s research then you can find her on Linkedin.

Dr Camilla Gardiner

DR CAMILLA GARDINER

Investment Manager at Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Hīkina Whakatutuki / Sustainable Value Consultant at KPMG

What is your current role?

For the past three years, I have been working for the New Zealand government as an Investment Manager, running the processes of how research and science funding is given out and managing funded projects. My background is in environmental science, but I decided during my Post-Doc that I wanted to move into something where I could focus more on broader research and science project management and strategy.

What has your career path been like?

I did my undergraduate honors thesis in Environmental Science at UC Berkeley, looking at the effects of rainfall on soil carbon sequestration in California rangelands. Straight after I graduated, I moved to New Zealand to do my PhD in Environmental Biogeochemistry looking at ways to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from cattle urine patches in pasture soils. I stayed on as a Post-Doc for a few months after finishing my PhD continuing research on nitrous oxide emissions, but decided to leave and work in research and science investment. After a few years of running research investment funds, I’ve just decided to move back into the sustainability and climate change space by joining KPMG in their Sustainable Value consulting team.

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

I’ve really enjoyed working in science investment because we get to be involved in research projects across all sectors. One minute I might be working with a contract holder on their social science project, then the next minute I’ll need to be talking with someone else about kiwifruit breeding or pest eradication or hyperspectral imaging. It’s been an amazing opportunity to be exposed to a huge variety of disciplines!

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?

“Go with what feels right”! Some people have a really clear picture of where they want to be, or what they want to do - I’ve never been one of those people. My career path has been a bit winding so far (science to government to private), but I’ve always just decided to go with what felt right at the time, and not worry too much that I don’t have a really clear long-term plan.

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

It’s definitely mostly a desk job, but involves a lot of meetings. We spend most of our time planning and running the investment processes, since there’s a lot of operational work such as deciding the strategy for the investment round, building the application template, and getting expert advice on the merit of projects. Before COVID-19, we did lots of travel to conferences and to visit projects, but unfortunately that’s all mostly online now.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Choosing your honors, masters, or PhD supervisor is really important! I was lucky to have a great relationship with both of my supervisors, and they’ve both been wonderful mentors.

Is there anything that you find difficult or challenging?

I think it can really challenging to choose a next career step, especially if you’re looking at transitioning into something quite new. I’ve found it really helpful to talk to people across a wide variety of roles to learn more about all of the different careers that are possible. I’ve also spent time reflecting on my core values to ensure that I’m pursuing opportunities that align with what I truly care about.

Professor Rachel Popelka-Filcoff

PROFESSOR RACHEL POPELKA-FILCOFF

Rock Art Australia Kimberley Foundation Chair in Archaeological Science in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne

What is your current field of research?

My research group and laboratory integrates advanced nuclear and spectroscopic approaches into multidisciplinary projects, including cultural heritage chemistry and archaeological science. My research is to the first comprehensive integrative characterisation of Australian natural mineral pigments on cultural heritage materials by several analytical methods to answer questions about provenance and composition.

What has your career path been like?

I completed my Ph.D. at the University of Missouri-Columbia (USA) in 2006, which has one of the top nuclear chemistry graduate programs in the United States. I completed my postdoctoral studies at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, USA) (2007-2008), in the Material Measurement Laboratory, developing neutron activation analysis analytical methods. I was a Research Associate (Level A) at Flinders University, (June 2009- December 2010). In 2011 I received an Australian Institute of Science and Engineering (AINSE) Fellowship. This role began my academic position at Flinders University and the establishment of my laboratory in the areas of analytical chemistry, archaeological science and forensic and environmental chemistry. From 2011-2013 I was a Level B Research Fellow and was promoted to Senior Research Fellow (Level C) in 2013. I was promoted to Associate Professor (Level D) in 2016 and moved to the University of Melbourne in 2020.

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

I have always been fascinated about the intersection of science and social sciences/humanities and the interdisciplinary approaches in archaeological science and am thrilled to be in a role where I can pursue my research passions. I enjoy working with researchers and students who bring their expertise to these larger scientific questions about how cultural expression makes us human, and how we can analyse cultural material heritage to answer questions that may not have been possible any other way. I am always motivated by the cultural material heritage itself, especially when viewing it in its original context or in a museum. This helps to inspire not only the appreciation for the object, but also for the people who made it and use it as well as the science for analysing it.

As a child I first began to learn about archaeology through the lens of Mediterranean archaeology. I was inspired to learn more about archaeological science in high school after taking a summer archaeology class. I analysed ceramics from the trash pits of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and related the chemistry of the restaurant and fine ware to their original manufacture companies.  A project that came out of this after working at University of Missouri research reactor eventually landed me a place to attend the International Science and Engineering Fair in Canada my last year of high school.

My undergraduate degree was as Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology and Classics at Washington University in St Louis (USA), where I focused on learning more about the Mediterranean world and its archaeology. I had the opportunity to experience three different field schools, one in the Athenian Agora, one examining bioarchaeology in northern Jordan and one excavating Etruscan sites in Italy. These fieldwork experiences encouraged my childhood love of archaeology and showed me the diversity of possibilities of cultural materials to analyse and their original contexts. From there I decided that I wanted to be a physical scientist who worked in archaeological science and completed my PhD in analytical chemistry at the University of Missouri-Columbia, studying at the Archaeometry Laboratory at MURR.

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

No two days are the same and the variety of experiences and opportunities continue to develop my interests and knowledge. Many days involve a balance of writing, developing proposals, mentoring and working with students, leading the group, committee meetings, in the lab, teaching and developing courses, giving a presentation, traveling to conferences and experiments, visiting cultural institutions among others!

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Explore and stay true to your passions. As archaeological science crosses disciplines, you may feel encouraged to be limited to a particular direction. The intersection of social and natural science is where the excitement happens.

How has the field you work in changed (particularly regarding women) since you have started working?

Growing up, my family always promoted the importance of science and that women are equal participants in science as men. that As with many areas of science, there are roughly equal numbers of women and men in undergraduate classes and similarly with undergraduate university degrees. However, it is still the case for under-representation of women in higher levels and leadership within all science fields. Things certainly have changed since my parents’ generation and I’d like to think the situation will be improved for my children, but I still think that societal opinions and views on women in science still need to change. In many cases what we see in society and the workplace are perhaps less direct sexist comments, rather incorrect perceptions or stereotypes of the capabilities of women and underrepresented groups as leaders in science. These societal perceptions not only limit the possibilities of women or underrepresented groups, but also the overall potential of society.

Explore and stay true to your passions.

What do you see as the next steps forward in your field? Are there any new projects you would like to collaborate on in future?

Archaeological science is always on the cusp of new technologies. Most importantly, these come from a broad set of disciplines and approaches. The future of archaeological science is drawing on established methods in a diversity of fields for new perspectives, as well as creating new scientific approaches that may have applications in other disciplines. Archaeological scientists are always developing new and improved technologies.

You can find out more about Rachel’s research through Google Scholar and Twitter.

Associate Professor Hannah Power

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR HANNAH POWER

Associate Professor, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle Australia

What is your current field of research?

I’m a coastal and marine geoscientist and I study the environments and landforms that we see in our coastal and nearshore marine environments and I also look at the processes that drive change in these environments. This includes small and local changes like storms causing erosion on beaches to large changes like sea level rise. I also investigate hazards like tsunami and extreme wave runup.

What has your career path been like?

After high school, I enrolled in a Bachelor of Science specialising in marine science at the University of Sydney with a keen interest in coral reefs and biology and ecology. As part of the degree, all students were required to take a wide range of marine science subjects, including marine geoscience and oceanography and I found these two subjects incredibly interesting, so I kept studying in those fields. I did an honours year investigating how waves change after they break on sandy beaches and loved it so much that I wanted to keep doing research. After my undergraduate degree, I enrolled in a PhD at the University of Queensland and did more research on waves on sandy beaches as well as getting lots of experience teaching and tutoring. After my PhD, I stayed in academia aside from a one-year stint in Government. I held a few short term contract roles at several Australian universities before landing at Newcastle in 2014.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? 

I think the best advice I’ve been given is find a way to make something you love your job. It’s somewhat cliché but it makes life a whole lot more pleasant if you love the core of what you do for a job!

“I also really like the problem-solving aspect of science in all it’s forms……….”

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

I love most aspects of my job, but fieldwork has to be the best bit. Whether it’s teaching undergraduate students, working with my postgrads, collaborating on colleagues’ projects, or leading an experiment of my own, I just love being outside and around the ocean! I think doing field-based projects for both my honours and my PhD convinced me that this was the subject for me. I also really like the problem-solving aspect of science in all it’s forms – from working out how to best deploy an instrument in the surf (hint: lots of cable ties and electrical tape are usually involved in the answer) to answering questions about coastal environments and processes that no-one has even answered before – it’s all exciting!

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

Photo credit: Paul Donaldson

My year is often really varied and I don’t have a single typical day. When I’m in the field, it’s often an early start to make the most of the day but the activity for the day might be anything from deploying instruments in the water, to collecting survey data for ground-truthing remotely sensed satellite data, to explaining coastal landforms to students. When I’m on campus, my days vary from ones with lots of meetings with colleagues or research students, to teaching periods where I might have a few classes to teach, to quieter days where I’m able to investigate field data and what it can tell us.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Take the opportunities that you are offered and seek them out for yourself, for example, volunteer to help out on field projects and look for opportunities to do things like go on research voyages. Scientists are often looking for a few extra sets of hands for their projects and are keen to share their knowledge. Read lots but read everything with a critical eye. And have fun!

How has the field you work in changed (particularly regarding women) since you have started working?

As much as I’d love to say that it doesn’t occur, women are still discriminated against for their gender; however, I think there has been a shift in terms of there now being more wide-spread recognition of these kinds of behaviours and that women are a minority in coastal geoscience and engineering. We still have a long way to go to achieve anything close gender parity, but I do think we’re taking steps in the right direction.

What do you see as the next steps forward in your field? Are there any new projects you would like to collaborate on in future?

There are so many exciting questions that are unanswered and different avenues to investigate in my field and that’s one of the best bits about being a scientist – letting your curiosity guide you! We’re facing enormous challenges with climate change and sea level rise and I hope that my research contributes to our understanding of what we’re facing and also adaptation to these challenges using science-based evidence.

You can find out more about Hannah’s work through LinkedIn and Twitter. Hannah is also one of the current Superstars of STEM with Science and Technology Australia!

Dr Karen Joyce

DR KAREN JOYCE

Senior Lecturer, James Cook University

How would you describe your work?

I believe there’s a science for everyone, you just need to know where to look! I share my experiences drawn from more than 20 years as a geospatial scientist in academia, military, industry, and small business to help people discover science beyond lab coats and test tubes. But I have an ulterior motive. I am passionate about how we can use drones and geospatial technology to watch over our environment and how it changes over time. So the more people I can inspire to join me, the faster we can put plans in place to help keep our environment healthy into the future.

What has your career path been like?

I definitely took the scenic route! After finishing my PhD in coral reef mapping at the University of Queensland, I transitioned to the Australian Army as a full time geomatic engineering officer. I later moved to New Zealand, working for the Department of Conservation (Te Papa Atawhai) to map recreation opportunities across the country, before joining GNS Science (Te Pū Ao) to integrate remote sensing into the disaster management cycle. When I started feeling a little too cold, I came home to Australia, taking an academic position at Charles Darwin University before coming full circle to work back on the Great Barrier Reef as a senior lecturer at James Cook University. I have also co-founded and work in two geospatial start-up companies – She Maps, and GeoNadir.

Do you have a funny/interesting story to share?

I worked various part time jobs as a student, one of which was as an Army Reserve soldier. I remember a particular time when a senior soldier sat me down in front of a topographic map to give me a job to do. He said to me ‘This is a map...' then proceeded to explain the north arrow, scale bar, etc. He finally asked what I did 'on civvi street' (i.e. as a civilian). I smiled 'I'm just finishing my PhD in remote sensing and mapping'. Sometimes it’s fun to be underestimated – he made sure no one ever did that again!

“Do what you love, the rest will come naturally. But if you really want to be in the geospatial industry, get comfortable with coding.”

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

I love fieldwork and processing image data. It’s so cool to see the patterns in the land and sea country from above using a drone or satellite!

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

My days always start with exercise – this is so important for my mental and physical health. I’ll usually have at least one (though usually several) zoom meeting with students and collaborators – these can be at odd hours depending on the time zone differences as I work with people all over the world. Then I might have classes to teach, assignments to grade, data to process… so many different things!

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Do what you love, the rest will come naturally. But if you really want to be in the geospatial industry, get comfortable with coding.

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

I find it hard to balance the work that I want to do with that which I need to supervise. There’s so much stuff I’d like to do myself, but I just don’t have the time and I often find myself more in the role of a manager or supervisor. I often really miss the fun ‘dirty work’.

How has the field you work in changed (particularly regarding women) since you have started working?

I would say that the change is glacial. In 2020 I attended my first academic conference and was stunned to see how few women were there. In fact I did a head count in the opening plenary session, and observed 20%. I have continued that head count at every conference I attend and unfortunately, the dial isn’t shifting. I recently attended a conference where there were more Michaels, Johns, and Davids presenting than there were women. When I am in charge of a conference, workshop, or committee, I ensure we see balance (so it’s not impossible!), but getting the message to others can be a hard slog.

What do you see as the next steps forward in your field?

I’m most excited to work on my latest project – GeoNadir – which I believe exemplifies the next steps forward in my discipline. GeoNadir is an online drone data repository built under FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) where drone operators can collaborate with scientists to help protect our world’s most at-risk ecosystems. I know that we can achieve great things when we all work together and GeoNadir is a great way to facilitate that.

You can find out more about Karen’s work on her website: kejoyce.com or follow her on Twitter.

Dr Emily Finch

DR EMILY FINCH

Beamline Scientist, Australian Synchrotron

What is your current field of research?

I’m a Beamline Scientist at the Australian Synchrotron. I’m part of a team that is building a brand new Beamline that will shoot x-rays at all different kinds of samples to provide us with information about their chemistry, bond structure, and oxidation state. My background is in geoscience, so once the Beamline is built, I’ll be using it to research how metals move around the Earth’s crust.

What has your career path been like?

Geoscience was never on my radar in high school, but by chance I chose it as an elective in my first year of university and loved it so much I majored in it and then went on to do an Honours degree and PhD in geoscience at Monash University.

After my PhD, I did an internship in science policy at the Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), which led me to work in science policy for almost four years. I liked policy because I was using science to create evidence-based change at a national scale. My favourite project I worked on during this time was the Women in STEM Decadal Plan, which is a 10-year plan to attract, retain and progress women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers.

Policy work felt important and like I was having an impact, but I missed using my geological skills so decided to get back into geoscience. I then started a postdoctoral research position in a collaborative position between The University of South Australia and the Geological Survey of Western Australia, as part of the Mineral Exploration Cooperative Research Centre (MinEx CRC). In alignment with my PhD project, I was researching how metals move around Earth’s crust in fluids to eventually form ore deposits. These metals are crucial components of green technologies like wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles. It’s important to understand the processes that transport and deposit these metals so we can ensure their supply for the future.

The opportunity to work at the Synchrotron then came up, and as a Synchrotron fangirl from way back, I jumped at the chance to work with this very cool piece of scientific equipment.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? 

No one is your competition but yourself.

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

What I love most about geoscience is travelling anywhere in the world and being able to tell something about the geological history of that place just by what kinds of rocks are there. It’s like being able to look into the past!

“No one is your competition but yourself”

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

At the moment a typical day of work is trying to learn all things Synchrotron science. I’ve only just started this role and have no Synchrotron experience, so everything is new. It’s pretty intimidating, but most Beamline Scientists start on this level and then it’s just a whirlwind of learning lots of engineering, electronics, physics, and chemistry. It’s lucky I love a challenge!

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

I highly recommend women surround themselves with a group or network of other supportive women. Celebrate each other’s wins and support each other through every challenge. These relationships will get you through anything your career throws at you. I think this is especially important for women in male-dominated fields.

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

I find networking events horrible. There are many benefits to having a good network in your field, but achieving that through formal networking just isn’t something that I feel comfortable doing. My advice to anyone who feels the same is to buddy up at networking events, and the more you force yourself to attend these events the more comfortable you’ll be. Otherwise, there are other more organic ways to expand your network, like participating in associations in your field, attending conference field trips, joining workplace social groups, or even getting active in sharing your work on Twitter.

Where do you want your career to take you?

What I’ve loved about my career so far is that I haven’t had a proper plan and have just tried out things that interest me, so who knows where I’ll end up! Regardless of the field I’m in, I would like to one day lead a team so I can support others to achieve their career goals the way that some great mentors have supported me.

You can stay up to date with Emily’s work by following her on Twitter. Emily is also one of the current Superstars of STEM with Science and Technology Australia!

Dr Heather Sheldon

DR HEATHER SHELDON

Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO

What is your current field of research?

I use numerical models to simulate physical processes happening within the Earth’s crust, e.g. groundwater flow, heat transport and tectonic deformation of rocks. These models have various applications, including understanding the formation of ore deposits, and predicting the behaviour of geothermal systems.

What has your career path been like?

I completed a BSc (Hons) in geology at Aberystwyth University (UK) in 1995, followed by a PhD at Liverpool University (UK). Although I went straight from school to uni, I did take a couple of breaks during my time as a student – firstly a placement at Esso Petroleum between my 2nd and 3rd years at Aber (which, strangely enough, had nothing whatsoever to do with geology), and secondly I took some time out after submitting my PhD thesis to work on a marine conservation project in Fiji (also nothing to do with geology). I think those breaks were invaluable for maintaining my motivation to study, also giving me a bit more time to think about what I wanted to do beyond university. For example, during my time at Esso I discovered that I enjoyed working with computers; this influenced my choice of PhD project, where I learnt how to apply numerical models to geological problems.

When I was writing up my PhD, an opportunity at CSIRO came to my attention thanks to a chance conversation between my PhD supervisor and my future manager at a conference. I applied, but thought I had little chance of success as I believed they were looking for someone with more experience. To my surprise I was successful and was offered a 1 year position, to work in the Predictive Mineral Discovery CRC. So, I packed up a few belongings and headed for Perth, fully expecting to be back in the UK 12 months later. But that didn’t happen – my position was extended to 3 years, then I was made indefinite and sponsored for permanent residency. I am now a citizen of Australia, and I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to live and work in this wonderful country.

My career path has been rather unusual because I have been working for the same employer since finishing my PhD in 2003. I consider myself very fortunate to have avoided the treadmill of short-term postdoc positions. I am also fortunate to have the option of working part time, which has made life much easier with young children.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? 

Someone once said to me that anything that is worth doing is not easy. This was not in a work context, however it has stuck with me and I often think of that comment when I am struggling with something.

“Perhaps the most important aspect of my job is the ability to make a difference to real-world problems”

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

I chose to study geology because I enjoy being outdoors and have always been interested in the natural world. Ironically I now spend most of working time sitting in front of a computer, and rarely go in the field! But that’s ok, because I enjoy playing with numbers and computer code almost as much as being outdoors.

I find it very satisfying to use models to test geological hypotheses or conceptual models. Geoscientists come up with conceptual models about how something formed (such as an ore deposit), and they draw diagrams with arrows showing where the fluid flowed or how the rocks were deformed etc. Often it is difficult or impossible to conduct physical experiments to test these conceptual models, due to the large spatial scales and long time scales of geological processes, or the expense of drilling deep holes to check what lies beneath our feet. This is where computer simulations come in – if we can express the conceptual model in terms of the underlying physics or chemistry, we can simulate it on a computer.

Perhaps the most important aspect of my job is the ability to make a difference to real-world problems. I have worked mainly on geothermal energy and mineral exploration problems, both of which have clear benefits to society. Many people see mining as a bad thing, however the reality is that we need large amounts of raw materials to enable the transition to renewable energy. It is satisfying to know that my work may help explorers to find some of those resources.

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

No two days are the same, but typical activities include meeting with the project team to discuss what we should be modelling (in a new project) or progress with modelling; spending time trying to get models up and running (this can be very frustrating!); processing results; writing papers or reports; writing or contributing to new computer code; and general “citizenship” activities such as reviewing papers.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Be open minded and look for the right opportunities – geology can take you in many different directions. Try to get some industry experience even if you are planning to pursue an academic career.

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

I am a perfectionist, and often find it difficult to draw a line under a piece of work, write it up and move on to the next thing. The trouble with modelling is that there is always more to do, or a different approach that could be taken. You can’t explore every possibility within a single project. My advice for managing this is to be very clear about the choices you have made, and to document them as you go along. If possible, try to write up your work in the form of a paper or report as you go; this way you will notice up front if there is a problem with your logic or why you chose a particular parameter value, piece of equipment etc. Then you can fix it before proceeding, rather than leaving the writing to the end of the project and realising at that stage that you should have done something differently. Be prepared to defend your decisions; if a reviewer argues that your results are invalid because you assumed A rather than B, you don’t have to agree with them.

How has the field you work in changed (particularly regarding women) since you have started working?

I have never personally experienced negative discrimination in my job, however I know there are problems, especially in universities. I do see more women taking on leadership roles which is a good sign.

What do you see as the next steps forward in your field? Are there any new projects you would like to collaborate on in future?

I recently worked on a project looking at the potential of underground thermal energy storage in Australia. I hope to do further work in this field as I believe it could make a valuable contribution to the energy storage piece of the renewable energy equation.

Dr Lorna Strachan

DR LORNA STRACHAN

Senior Lecturer of Sedimentology, University of Auckland

What is your current field of research?

I am a marine geologist who specialises in understanding the way in which sediment moves and is deposited in the deep ocean. I do this by studying the seafloor, analysing sediment cores and also by looking at ancient seafloor sediments that have been turned to rock and are now exhumed at the earth’s surface.

What has your career path been like?

I followed a fairly typical education trajectory, once I finished high school I went to the University of Leeds to study a BSc (Hons) in Geological Sciences, followed by a PhD at Imperial College and Cardiff University. I then worked as a science administrator for year, did 2 post-doctoral research jobs and then moved to NZ where I was employed as a Lecturer in Sedimentology at the University of Auckland.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? 

Someone told me to form collaborations with people you’d like to spend time with in the pub! I think that this was a great piece of advice! I have found the best and most enduring collaborations are with people I consider to be good friends. It’s a pleasure to work with them.

““Form collaborations with people you’d spend time with in the pub!”

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

I enjoy several things, first the interaction with research students both in developing a good working relationship and in idea bouncing, second the luxury of essentially being my own boss, I get to decide what direction I want to take my research in and what information I want to share in my lectures. I think both of these aspects make academia a pretty special place work.

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

As a mother of 2 young children my days start early and involve getting the family up and ready to start work/daycare. Once at work my days are very varied. They can involve many hours of lecture and laboratory teaching, meetings with colleagues to plan teaching and research, skype meetings with research collaborators, meetings with my students, hands-on research of rock or core samples, or spending the day in the field. I am constantly juggling many tasks and priorities and so no two days are the same.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Follow your passion and find a great team of people to work with.

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

The juggle of work and family life is particularly tough sometimes, particularly during that 1st year back after parental leave. I have been lucky enough to have a mentor who has recently gone through a similar experience. The act of sharing experiences and talking about strategies to protect myself from taking on too much have been immensely helpful.

““These women are role models and trailblazers for others, like me, to follow.”

How has the field you work in changed (particularly regarding women) since you have started working?

There have always been a healthy number of women in the field of sedimentology, but only a relatively small number have remained in academia. This has certainly changed, with more and more female role models remaining in the field and reaching the highest echelons. These women are role models and trail blazers for others, like me, to follow.

Joanne (Jo) Watkins

JOANNE (JO) WATKINS

Chief Executive, Earth Science Western Australia

What is your current role?

I run an educational not-for-profit (reporting to a Board) called Earth Science WA. We create resources, train teachers, present incursions, support events and do many more things to support the teaching of Earth and Space Science (K-10) and Earth and Environmental Science (Year 11 and 12).

What has your career path been like?

I studied Biological and Environmental Sciences at Murdoch University then went straight into a Graduate Diploma of Education. From there I worked as a teacher in a district high school covering everything from Science and Maths to Outdoor Ed and Computing. Over time, I specialised in Science and Earth and Environmental Science teaching (and fell in love with earth science). The opportunity to work with Earth Science WA (ESWA) came up and I jumped at it, starting as Executive Officer, Secondary Education and then moving on to CEO. During this time I also completed a Graduate Diploma in Mineral Exploration Geosciences through the WA School of Mines.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? 

Everybody feels under qualified for their dream job, just go for it! This advice led me to apply for the job with ESWA and allowed me to work hard to increase my knowledge and skill base in the very best place for me.

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

I love sharing my passion for earth and environmental sciences, encouraging other young women (and men) to consider it as a wonderful (and important) career. I fell into both environmental and earth sciences, I started out in biology and, after taking an environmental science elective in my first year, added it to my degree. Then I was given the opportunity to teach the Year 11/12 subject Earth and Environmental Science and fell in love with Earth Science and that has led me to where I am today.

“Everybody feels under qualified for their dream job, just go for it!

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

Every day is different (that’s why I love it)! I could be running hands-on incursions at a school, taking students out on a field trip, training teachers, working on new teaching resources, creating marketing materials, developing our websites, meeting with collaborators and sponsors, reporting to our Board, travelling to regional schools or conferences, updating our finances (or any number of administrative tasks) or any combination of these really.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Take interesting electives, follow your heart and volunteer for programs that work with students (I get such joy out of seeing them become enthused about what I love).

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

I find juggling competing interests and tasks challenging. My advice is to get really organised, I am always on the look-out for platforms/software that helps me to reduce my time spent on administration and to keep me focused on what is important.

How has the field you work in changed (particularly regarding women) since you have started working?

Teaching and science communication have always been female friendly fields but I am finding that I am working with more and more women in the resources industry (in increasingly senior roles) and I love that.

What do you see as the next steps forward in your field?

I think we need to help students prepare for a rapidly changing workplace and would love to work more on what skills students need and how ESWA could help with that.

You can find out more about ESWA here: www.earthsciencewa.com.au, or on Facebook and Twitter.

Dr Verity Normington

DR VERITY NORMINGTON

Project Geologist, Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS)

What is your current role?

I am a Project Geologist with the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS). I work in the Basin Geoscience team and the majority of work I do is concentrated in the Amadeus Basin that covers the southern part of the NT from Alice Springs to the SA/NT border. I am part of the mapping team that goes out and investigates the surface exposures of all the rocks and creates maps and reports about the rocks of the basin and the basin itself. A mapping geologist has many feathers in their caps, the feathers in my cap include sedimentology, stratigraphy, regolith geology, landscape evolution, geochronology, minex geochemistry as well as basin evolution and petroleum systems.

What has your career path been like?

I started with NTGS 5 years ago when I moved from Adelaide to Alice Springs. My career path was in one way traditional but in another way not so traditional. After failing high school due to illness and having a year off I decided to go back to school and finish year 12 and become a lab technician. I did geology as a year 12 subject and immediately fell in love with it and changed my plans to do a Bachelor of Science to become a geologist.

My time at university was interrupted several times due to needing surgery due to Chron’s Disease which meant having to have whole semesters off at a time. Despite these interruptions and with the help of the academic staff at the University of Adelaide I was able to finish my Bachelor of Science majoring in Surficial Geology. I then went on to do Honours while working at a supermarket and as a cadet geologist and then graduate geologist with the Geological Survey of South Australia. I then went straight into a PhD at the University of Adelaide.

My PhD, looking into the mineral implications of glacial sediments of South Australia was funded by the Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre (DET CRC) which gave me the opportunity to work with and build a network of Earth Scientists around Australian across many disciplines. During my PhD, I also worked briefly as an exploration geologist for CAMECO working DIDO (Drive In, Drive Out) in the Strzelecki Desert. I also had the opportunity to present at several International conferences in Europe as well as many in Australia. However it was not without its challenges my time as a PhD was interrupted by breaks for surgeries and illness due to Chron’s Disease.

I was in the final stages of my PhD when I applied for my current role at NTGS and in September 2013 I started working full time in Alice Springs while still completing my PhD remotely. In mid-2018, some 5 years later, I handed in my PhD and graduated. Again this was not without its challenges, doing a PhD remotely certainly had its challenges, the worst of which is the feeling of isolation no matter how responsive your supervisory panel is. Having very busy field seasons meant that for almost 5 months of the year I was not able to progress my PhD at all. After another period of illness a prolonged hospital stay and surgery I finally decided to put some major effort into finishing my PhD. Now that I have finished my PhD I am able to devote a lot of my time to my volunteer roles as secretary of the Governing Council of the Geological Society of Australia (GSA) and as Ambassador for Early Career Geoscientists for the Australian Geoscience Council (AGC).

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? 

Take every opportunity that is given to you and to take the risk – I would not be living and working in Alice Springs if I had not followed this advice.

What do you enjoy most about your job/research?

I enjoy the variety of what I do, the advantage of working in a smaller geological survey is that you get to dip your toe into many different aspects of geoscience as well as other aspects such as doing technical edits and planning field campaigns where you have to liase with land holders and other community stakeholders. One day I might be writing a geochronology report and the next I’m participating in a workshop with industry where we are sharing our findings and understandings of the geology and learning from each other.

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

There is no typical day in the office for me as I have so many different aspects of my job. A typical day in the office for me might involve doing linework for a map we are creating or doing a technical edit on a map that is almost finished, it could be writing a report on geochronology data that has come in from an external lab or writing explanatory notes to go with the maps that are in production. I might be at the core shed looking at a drillhole that needs a stratigraphic revision so it reflects the most recent understanding of the stratigraphy of the basin. If its field season I could be traversing across a ridge walking through the Neoproterozoic and into the Cambrian observing how the lithology changes as the climate changed and the fauna evolved from Stromatolites to hard bodied sea dwelling creature.

“Be resilient, be patient, accepting of yourself and most importantly be kind to yourself and make sure you are doing what you need to do to stay physically and mentally healthy.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Don’t pigeon hole yourself as one type of geologist, try your hand at as many different types of geology as you can. You may find your absolute passion and/or your niche and your people or you might just find yourself doing something different every day.

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

The obvious challenge for me is working full time in a sometimes physically demanding job while managing a Chronic Illness. Many doctors and health care professionals told me that being a field geologist was not possible and that I should change careers. I have been living with a chronic illness for almost 20 years now and I have never let it stop me from doing anything. Things might take longer to finish or they have to be done slightly differently but there is always way to realise your dreams and follow your passions.  

For others in a similar position I would say be resilient, be patient, accepting of yourself and most importantly be kind to yourself and make sure you are doing what you need to do to stay physically and mentally healthy. There is no shame is taking some time out for yourself and allowing yourself to heal.  

Where are you hoping to end up in your career?

I love working for a government survey, you stand on both sides of the academia/industry fence. The work we do is very much focused to what industry need and want but at the same time we have the freedom to investigate things we find interesting. I want to be able to stay in government surveys but I would love to be able to lead a team and share my passion for geoscience and also for project management with others. Inspiring people to be their best self is inspiring to me.

You can follow Verity’s work on Twitter and Linkedin. She was also recently featured as one of Science and Technology Australia’s ‘Superstars of STEM’!

Dr Linda Armbrecht

DR LINDA ARMBRECHT

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD), The University of Adelaide, Australia.

What is your current role?

I am an Australian Research Council (ARC) postdoctoral research associate at the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD).

What has your career path been like?

Photo Credit: Lee Stevens/IODP

I have had a rather unconventional career path, as I did not start studying until four years after finishing school. Instead I completed a professional education as a medical assistant in a paediatric surgery practice, and several internships in the veterinary science field including an extremely exciting opportunity working with the ‘Big Five’ in South Africa for six months. These unique experiences played a vital role in developing my hunger for a career in science, in which I can combine my passion for working with organisms, exploring planet Earth and contribute to preserve it. I started to study biology (University of Osnabrueck, Germany), then specialised in marine biology (University of Bremen, Germany), followed by a PhD in Biological Oceanography (Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia). My enthusiasm about the Antarctic environment and long-term geological records, lead me to my post-doctoral research in which I use micropaleontological as well as genetic techniques to investigate past ecosystems and climate (Endeavour Fellowship, Paris, France; Postdoc at ACAD). My diverse networks transitioned me through various disciplines,collaborating with some great people and world-leaders, while Iearning a multitude of techniques. All these experiences have been the foundations that has allowed me to pursue a unique career in an area of research that I am truly passionate about: ancient DNA in seafloor to reconstruct past marine communities and ecosystems. 

“What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?
”You can learn something from everyone!”

What do you enjoy most about your research?

I most enjoy the field work and the ‘detective work’ that is involved in research. My field trips have brought me to the most amazing places on Earth, including three Antarctic expeditions in the last three years. During these lengthy expeditions everyone is dedicated to achieving big science where spirits are always high due to the excitement of discovery. It’s an excellent work environment. I also enjoy solving the riddles that the data we generate provides us with, finding out why it is the way it is and what it all means is one of the most interesting tasks in my research.  

What does a typical day of work involve for you?

Typical days usually include lab-work, data analysis and paper and grant-writing. Untypical but still frequent days include the most fascinating fieldwork, and travel to and participating in conferences and workshops.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Photo credit: Lee Stevens/IODP

Look out for opportunities, participate in training programs and summer schools, gain experience overseas, and build your network early. And always take good notes!

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

It’s a good idea to always have an open ear for other and new opinions. Sometimes that can be daunting but it’s important to be pragmatic, reassess and find the best solutions possible to any given research question.

Where are you hoping to end up in your career?

I hope I’ll have my own research group in the field of marine sedimentary ancient DNA one day and infuse the next generation of scientists with my enthusiasm about this fields and how much we can learn from it.

If you’d like to find out more about Linda’s research check out this video about her work on a recent expedition to the east of the Antarctic Peninsular.

Tessa Thomson

TESSA THOMSON

Undergraduate Student, Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka, New Zealand.

What is your current role?

I am currently two years into studying towards a Bachelor of Science majoring in Marine Biology and Māori Resource Management at Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka. I am also in an internship position at NIWA Wellington, looking into deep-sea images and the organisms associated with methane seeps. I am passionate about the marine environment, and especially how we can make New Zealand’s ecosystems the healthiest they can be – to in turn make our people the best they can be.

What has your career path been like?

I am very lucky to be studying at Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka, and I moved onto studying straight out of high school. This year, I was looking for a summer internship that would give me motivation and experience that would set me up well for the final year of my undergraduate degree. That is when I got talking to Ashley Rowden and was offered the wonderful internship here at NIWA.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Everything happens for a reason, and where you are in each moment is where you are meant to be. It is the opportunity for more learning, more growth, and more happiness. (very true for myself right now!)

What do you enjoy most about your research? And what made you choose this field?

In my final year of high school I attended a biology field trip to Mexico, and volunteered with an organisation called Operation Wallacea (OPWALL). We spent one week in the terrestrial environment and then moved into a marine environment for our final week. This is when I decided that I wanted to study marine biology, and become a person that would look after our marine environment and ecosystems in the best way I could.

What does a typical day of study involve for you?

An average day at Victoria involves a different selection of lectures, labs, and tutorials – which keeps the days interesting and never the same. Studying about not only science but also my culture helps add variety to my days, and it also encourages me to create links between the two. My days at NIWA see me analysing deep sea imagery, organising indigenous outreach and communications, and learning everyday about things that I would never learn in a lecture theatre. I have learnt how to navigate myself around a scientific organisation, and the importance of connection and relationships with others.

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

“So, while I find it difficult being the extremely small, oddly coloured fish in a huge ocean, I just remember that I am one of many creating positive change in this profession.

I am a 19 year old indigenous woman working in science, which could be considered to be uncommon. The thing I find exciting about this however is the fact that times are changing. There are more women, more indigenous peoples, and a wave of young and fresh faces coming into the scientific profession. So, while I find it difficult being the extremely small, oddly coloured fish in a huge ocean, I just remember that I am one of many creating positive change in this profession. I do the work that I do for the people who will come after me, and that is what motivates me to deal with issues I have head on.

Where are you hoping to end up in your career?

Because I am considerably young, I believe my options are endless. I plan on doing postgraduate studies, but am undecided as to what in. I would really like to be an educator, or work on looking after Māori – the people, the resources, the future of the culture. I have three main passions, science, Māoritanga, and education. These three things drive me into the work I do each day – and I hope that I can contribute to all three passions throughout my life – professionally and otherwise.

What do you see as the next steps forward in your field?

I would love to help the people, who are already doing an amazing job, look after the precious ecosystems we have here in Aotearoa. I am really interested in helping Māori look after their native ecosystems, as this feeds directly back to the people themselves. Assisting iwi in looking after their natural taonga is something I hope to do in the future. The next steps for me is to keep learning – so I can share the knowledge to sustain and improve biological communities. I should also probably graduate University!

Tayla Hill

TAYLA HILL

Masters Student, Otago University Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo, New Zealand.

What is your current role?

I recently graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Geology and Oceanography. This year, I’ll be pursuing a Master’s of Science in Geophysics.

What has your career path been like?

Growing up in Taranaki, I had always had an appreciation for the natural environment. Being bounded by Taranaki Maunga and the Tasman sea I had a growing desire to understand the earth system processes that created them. I wanted to do something where I could turn my passion and appreciation for the outdoors into a career, so geology and oceanography was the perfect degree for me. I’ve been lucky enough to spend my summer at NIWA, working on a project involving the characterisation of the seafloor around methane seep sites offshore of Wairarapa. This study is important because it helps us understand the processes contributing to the slope instability at this area of the seafloor, and if this site has potential for future extraction. 

What do you enjoy most about your research? And what made you choose this field?

What I enjoy most about my career path is everyday I’m learning something new about the environment that surrounds me. The thing that truly fascinates me about geophysics in particular, is that we are investigating geology that we can’t really see ourselves. Because of this, we’re constantly using advancing technology to look into the unknown. As of 2019, around 80% of our ocean is unexplored, so studying the seafloor is almost like studying a new planet, so much is still unknown but it’s exciting learning more about what’s hidden within the earth.

What does a typical day of study involve for you?

As I’m still at Uni, most of my days consist of lectures and studying until early hours of the morning. In between lectures I also work as an Earth and Ocean Science lab demonstrator for first year students. My typical day at NIWA has involved a lot of work analysing the seafloor using ArcGIS, a spatial analyst program. This has allowed me to combine different data sets such as bathymetry and backscatter data to create a full, in depth characterising of the study sites located offshore Wairarapa.

What’s advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?

Unfortunately we still live in a society where someone says the word “scientist” the first thing that comes to mind is an old man with crazy electrified hair in a lab coat. I hope that one day, with a society of empowered women in science, when someone asks what a typical scientist looks like, a range of people come to mind. No matter who or what you are, I challenge you in breaking this stereotype, express your diversity whether that be age, gender or culture and collectively turn our passion for geoscience into positive action. We’re all out here on our own learning journeys, but always remember to empower your peers, encourage each other to be the best version of yourself and don’t forget celebrate success and be proud of where you are and where you came from.

Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?

As a young, indigenous woman in science, I often stick out like a sore thumb. Because of this, I always try and get involved with the jobs that the guys normally do. Whether that be loading up the piston core with several 25 kg weights, having a go sailing the research vessel or jumping on the barbie at the field camps. Always challenge yourself and just go for it, don’t let anything ever hold you back, you’ll come out the other side stronger and empowered.

“I hope that one day, with a society of empowered women in science, when someone asks what a typical scientist looks like, a range of people come to mind.

Where are you hoping to end up in your career?

I’m only just starting my master’s, so I have a few more years to go. As an aspiring Marine Geophysicist, I hope that in a few years’ time I will be starting a PhD at the University of Tasmania. Although, my ultimate goal in life is to be a researcher and lecturer. I’ve been inspired by so many great lecturers at my University, I hope that one day I can have people looking up to me the way I’ve looked up to them. I always actively work to encourage people to consider geoscience as a career. Last year, I visited my old high school to share the wonderful world of geology and oceanography, and was so happy to see three young woman who wanted to join the field. I hope I can continue inspiring people to study geoscience through sharing my journey over social media.

What do you see as the next steps forward in your field?

My Masters’ project involves the geophysical and mechanical characterisation of Southland’s serpentinite rocks. Serpentinite, has recently been a rock of interest as it undergoes natural reactions with carbon dioxide, forming new minerals that hold onto the gas, essentially removing it from the atmosphere. My role is to conduct a geophysical survey along a chosen area, to monitor any natural fractures in the rock, to see if we can make use of these to inject carbon dioxide into, or if we need to create our own fractures. If this project is successful, it has the potential to become a large-scale carbon sequestration project, overall turning New Zealand into a global carbon sink.

You can find out more about Tayla’s research and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.