March 17, 2017

Paths Through Science: What will your career path look like?

Posted by AGU Career Center

A successful career can take many routes and directions. And a career, unlike a job, is more than just a resume or C.V. builder. It is the development of skills built over time and is shaped by many jobs and professional or volunteer roles. Each month, the AGU Career Center releases a new profile in the ongoing series  Paths Through Science. These profiles highlight the many roles in Earth and space science and the different paths scientists have taken. This resource is for students trying to choose a career path or professionals who may be looking to transition into new roles.

Paths Through Science highlights the many diverse paths AGU’s scientists have charted across the disciplines within Earth and space science through interviews with professionals in government, academia, industry, and non-profit sectors. AGU President Eric Davidson kicks off the series’ quarterly video profiles, a new feature to the series that will supplement written interviews and profiles.

Eric Davidson, a biogeochemist by training, is the current AGU President as well as a professor and Director at the Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. He shares what inspired him to become a biogeochemist, his advice for students, and the importance of networking.

 

In one of our newest profiles, Mary Anne Holmes, professor emerita of University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, discusses the knowledge and skills that moved her forward in her career in clay sedimentology as well as her involvement with NSF’s ADVANCE program, a program designed to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers.

Did you or someone you know take a unique track to get where you are today? What do you wish you knew back when you started your career?  What advice would you give to those still in school trying to figure out if a career in Earth and space sciences is right for them?  We are always looking for new stories to share to help AGU members better navigate their path.  Contact us at [email protected] to let us share your story and stay tuned for more exciting interviews and video profiles from Paths Through Science.