Connecting College to Careers

 I want students to feel a purpose in what they are learning, connecting the content with the outside world. This approach serves science and non-science majors alike, and the exposure to real-world issues helps students make well-informed and self-serving career choices. My teaching methods foster critical thinking, reading comprehension, and written communication– skills which are highly valued in any job. I hope to encourage student growth, and support development of critical but ethical geoscientists who create solutions while maintaining the integrity of earth and its resources. I believe my unique experience in industry, both in environmental consulting and mining, coupled with my academic foundation gives me a strong and creative teaching perspective. Motivated by problem solving and teaching, I hope to advance teaching and exploration into outstanding questions in igneous petrology.

Over the last few years, I have identified opportunities to mentor both undergraduate and graduate students in both research and career development and enjoy participating in outreach events for undergraduate clubs, professional organizations, and high schools. The content of these events is variable, including how I got interested in volcanoes, resume/CV preparation, the graduate school application process, and navigating state licensure requirements (i.e., becoming a Professional/ Registered/ Certified/ Licensed Geologist). I enjoy participating in conference mentoring events too. At the recent annual Geological Society of America meeting (GSA), I worked on a master students resume. I learned she was interested in geothermal energy and after the conference, I introduced her to a geothermal colleague, knowing their company offers paid student internships. Recently, I was at sea on a research expedition and leading the Oregon State University contingent investigating the West Pacific Seamount Province! For this expedition I recruited two undergraduate women studying geology – a nontraditional student from PSU and an indigenous student from Northwest Indian College.

Advocacy

Reminders to fight the gatekeeping mentality:

Students DO NOT need to endure misery just because we endured misery / poor treatment when we were students. 

No one in higher education should want that for their student (or anyone for that matter)…

… also treating students disrespectfully will only decrease their research productivity!

I care deeply about student success. I pride myself on advocating for students, communicating opportunities, and identifying financial barriers. I recognize poor vs high-quality mentoring from a research advisor, and how this can influence professional success. Research advisors that are good mentors are also often good managers. Unfortunately, management skills are not recognized by academic systems; even though research advisors are managers, and these skills are imperative for responsible oversight of their budget (i.e. funding) and their team (i.e. graduate students). Using civility, leadership, and constructive management skills - I hope to improve research productivity and how we approach mentorship. This aligns with strategic planning initiatives as retention rates increase in more civil and supportive learning environments.