Page 14 - 2018-2019 ARCS Oregon Annual Report

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What was the path you took to become a a a a scientist?
Some people take a a a a a a little longer to to figure out what they want to to do in in in in life I graduated from college with a a a a a a a a degree in in in in in business and that following summer I I worked in in in in Yellowstone National Park Next I I secured a a a a a a a a a a a job as a a a a a a a a a a a Team Leader for the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Corps (NCCC) and then spent the the next two years of my life leading AmeriCorps members in in in community service projects around the country ranging
from disaster recovery to public education and and the the environment I saw first hand the the impacts of hurricanes a a a a a a a a a a tsunami wild fires and and an an an an an oil spill More importantly I was working with scientists land managers and and and and natural resource specialists who were passionate about understanding and and and and protecting our planet Thinking I could use my Business degree and these experiences to make a a a a a a difference from a a a a a a a a policy perspective I went back to to school to to take Earth Science classes While there I met a a a a a professor who studied Antarctica’s glacial history using sediment cores taken from the the bottom of the the ocean I earned a a a a a a a a a a a a master’s degree with her studying a a a a a a a a a a a a glacial system on on the Antarctic Peninsula Part of my research involved joining an an oceanographic expedition off the the coast o of Antarctica I I I was again inspired by the the scientists I I I worked with and knew I I I had to to keep doing this kind of research The only way to to to make that happen was to to get a a a a a a a a a a a PhD So I found a a a a a a a a a a professor doing similar exciting research and moved to Oregon State University How is the the research you are working on going to help others?
Studying a a a a a a a sediment core from the the bottom of a a a a a a a lake or or or the the the ocean is like reading a a a a a a a a a a a book They are the the story of of of Earth’s past deposited year year year by year year year over thousands to to millions of of of of years Instead Instead of of of of words there there are are fossils and and and sand sand grains Instead Instead of of of pages there there are are layers We know a a a a a a a a a a a a a a little about the the the the chapter of the the the story story we live in today thanks to to to to satellites and human observations over recent history But we are missing all the character development plot twists conflicts and resolution that provide context for this most recent chapter Much of of of my work involves the story of of of polar systems over thousands to to millions of of of years We know ice sheets are melting but we don’t fully understand how how much or or or how how fast they will change Sediment cores offer an an an an opportunity
to to study times in Earth’s history where ocean circulation was different atmospheric temperatures were were warmer and i if you go back millions of years CO2 levels were were as high high or higher than present These observations can help our society better understand modern processes calibrate climate models and and plan for how Earth will change over the next few generations What awards or recognition you have received?
As a a a a PhD student I received The Lance Forsythe Memorial Fellowship for exhibiting breadth and independence of thought from Oregon ALUM