Tell us about your first job after graduating.
Following my PhD, I started as a Postdoc at University of Washington and part-time Senior Geomorphologist at a river science consulting company called Watershed Science and Engineering. In my postdoctoral position, I studied how sediment moves from large glacial deposits into rivers to help predict how rivers receiving such inputs of sediment evolve over time. As a Senior Geomorphologist, I both conducted applied research and transferred that understanding to people making decisions regarding river management and restoration. I worked with hydraulic and civil engineers to understand rivers and take care of river ecosystems, including the humans in those ecosystems, more responsibly.
How did Warner College prepare you for your career?
My graduate experience in the Geosciences department not only gave me a thorough understanding of the literature and history of my field, but also trained me to identify uncertainty and ask questions that could lead to a resolution of that uncertainty. I was taught to think across massive ranges of spatial and temporal scale and given the skills to investigate geomorphic phenomena across those scales. Perhaps most importantly, I developed good working relationships with so many excellent researchers and practitioners during my graduate work. That taught me that even in the face of an industry that pushes you towards competition, we will always serve the public and our ecosystem better by working collaboratively.
What advice would you give to current Warner College students?
Explore as much as you can while you are still in school. Take every opportunity to work with someone new, work on a new problem, or in a new place. It is hard to develop breadth once you get out of school, so it is really helpful to get as much breadth as you can while you're in school. You have plenty of time to specialize later.