What is your current professional role?
After graduating from Eckerd College in May 2023, my year-long internship at the USGS was converted into a full-time contractor position for six months! I am now applying for graduate schools and preparing for my geoscience field camp in Hawaii in early 2024.
What aspects of marine or coastal geoscience do you work on?
My work focuses on describing various types of sediments in different settings while using a suite of radioisotopes as tracers for movement and deposition in marine systems. In my last two years at Eckerd, I was part of an NSF-funded course that investigated the long-term impacts of the DeepWater Horizon oil spill in deep sea sediments. My specific project focused on the methods by which resuspended sediments are recharged with radioisotopes commonly used for measuring deposition dates in coastal and benthic environments.
What first interested you in science?
I distinctly remember being twelve years old and stepping into the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. They had a special exhibit on “The Mysteries of the Monterey Submarine Canyon,” and I remember being in awe of the fact that a place so close to us had not been fully explored. At the time, I thought I wanted to be a Marine Biologist; however, after taking several Biology and Geology classes at Eckerd College, I discovered my true love was in Geology. Looking back at that day, I think the big inspiration was realizing that we didn’t know everything about the natural world and that I could be the one to find the answers.
Who have been your greatest mentors?
Professor Hillary Flower of Eckerd College’s Environmental Studies department is one of my biggest mentors. Her “Intro to Earth Science” course was my first exposure to the world of geology, and the mentorship and advice she gave me as I searched for my place in the sciences was absolutely invaluable.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this field?
Try everything! Some parts of geoscience are more interesting to some rather than others. Geology is such an expansive subject, so don’t let one section of it discourage you from seeking out another area you may enjoy more. There are so many people I know who are geologists whose work I can’t even begin to understand, but others that I grasp more easily and want to delve into deeper. College is a fantastic time to find your true passion in geosciences, and the more experimentation you do early on, the more likely you are to find the niche you fit into best!
Where is your favorite coastal location?
The northern coast of Maui, Hawaii. My love for igneous rocks and oceanic processes clash (quite literally) on the shores of the beaches and outcrops there. The geology of that area is stunning, and the views of the ocean are just as amazing.
What are some things (not including work) are you passionate about?
In my free time, you can find me reading the Science Fiction series I’m enamored with at the time, playing guitar or piano and writing my own music and songs, or at the Beach Volleyball courts playing with friends in St. Petersburg, FL!
When you relax, what do you eat and listen to?
Most likely, I will listen to a Billy Joel or Bon Iver record on my record player while eating some kind of Thai food!