July 6, 2023 | Scarlette Hsia, PhD 2024 & Jana Abdullatif, MS 2023
If you are pursuing a degree in geoscience, where would you like to go after? Many students at the Jackson School of Geosciences (JSG) begin their studies under the impression that they are going into either academia or industry, but the job market is not so binary. Most students, at one point or another, consider different career paths from what they initially expressed interest or conviction in. In this post, we compiled profiles of notable alumni who have graduated in the last few years.
So where do JSG graduates end up in the career web?
To unearth the career trajectories of JSG graduates, I started with Courtney Vletas, the Associate Director of Alumni Engagement. Every year, this office sends out a survey to recent post-graduates in an effort to consolidate the whereabouts of JSG alumni. In addition to my own connections, I fielded information from other alumni, current graduate students, and their advisors to compile a list of graduates that were representative of many of the career pathways that students end up pursuing. Below is the resulting list of alumni profiles, organized by the career sectors: Academia, Research Institutions & Government, Energy Industry, Technology, Non-Profit Organizations, Environmental Insurance, Healthcare & Business, and Geographical Information Systems. At the end, we also provide a suite of resources for job seekers to consider for their post-graduate journey.
Academia
EIRINI POULAKI
PhD in Geological Sciences, 2022 Now a Postdoctoral scholar
Eirini Poulaki joined the Jackson School of Geosciences in 2016, she graduated with her MS in 2018 and her PhD in 2022. During her time at UT, she worked under the supervision of Dr. Stockli on understanding the tectonic and metamorphic evolution of Mediterranean subduction zones by using geochronology, metamorphic petrology, and structural geology. Eirini is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in a joint appointment with the University of Washington and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her current research investigates the timing of deformation and fluid pulses within the seismogenic zone of subduction zones. Eirini chose a career in academia because of the avenue for creativity, her passion for research and curiosity, and the opportunity to train the next generation of geoscientists. She also hopes to contribute to community efforts towards making the geosciences a more diverse welcoming environment for everyone.
Research Institutions and Government
MIGUEL CISNEROS
PhD in Geological Sciences, 2018 Now a Staff Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
At UT-Austin, Miguel applied geochemistry, petrology, and field geology to understand tectonic problems. During summers, Miguel interned at several oil and gas companies, worked in research labs, or completed field work to explore and compare roles in industry, government, and academia. After UT-Austin, Miguel ventured to Switzerland and completed a postdoc at ETH Zurich with the Structural Geology and Tectonics group (2019 – 2021). Since 2022, Miguel has been a Staff Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California. At LLNL, Miguel uses stable isotope geochemistry to address geologic problems and develops tools that can be used for geolocation of nuclear materials. Miguel has enjoyed the wealth of project opportunities and resources available at LLNL, colleagues, and the work-life balance associated with this role.
PETER DOTRAY
B.S. in Geophysics, 2016 Now a Geophysicist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Peter started his career at the University of Texas as a physics student before transferring to the JSG geophysics program. At JSG, he met an undergraduate advisor at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus where he began locating earthquake activity, assisting in seismology research, and installing seismometers around central Texas. After graduation, he moved to Oklahoma to work at the Oklahoma Geological Survey, where he was a seismic analyst. In 2018, he took a job in Hawaii as a geophysicist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. In this role he helps monitor and assess volcanic activity and potential hazards, forecast possible future eruptive activity, and assist in maintaining the network of seismic stations around the island.
Energy Industry
ABDULAH ELJALAFI
PhD in Geological Sciences, 2022 Now a Geologist at OVINTIV
Throughout his graduate career, Abdulah applied his research in Carbonate Sedimentology and Stratigraphy in several industries through co-ops and industry internships. By interning in the carbon capture, mining, and energy sector, he was able to get a flavor of each industry, allowing him to plan his career path post-graduation. In the summer of 2022, Abdulah successfully defended his PhD dissertation and moved to Denver, Colorado where he started a new position as a Reservoir Characterization Geologist with Ovintiv (formerly Encana). In his new role, Abdulah is able to directly apply some of the results from his PhD research towards understanding basin scale sedimentation patterns and the intricate relationship between carbonate shelves and their basinal equivalents.
BUDDY PRICE, PhD
PhD in Geological Sciences, 2022 Now a Geologist at Devon Energy
Buddy’s PhD research focused on carbonate and siliciclastic sedimentology and stratigraphy working with the Reservoir Characterization Research Lab (RCRL) consortium at the Bureau of Economic Geology. After defending his dissertation, he returned to Devon Energy in Oklahoma City as a geologist in their integrated geosciences group. Since being back he has been aiding with core interpretation work, subsurface mapping, critical mineral evaluation, carbon storage, and internal training, organizing field trips for petrotechnical professionals at the company. He is still collaborating with researchers at UT and is currently Devon Energy’s liaison for communicating with industry consortia at the Bureau of Economic Geology.
NINA HEBEL, M.S.
Masters in Earth and Energy Resources (EER), 2022 Now a Senior Analyst with Strategen Consulting
While working towards her master’s degree in Energy and Earth Resources, Nina took advantage of the multidisciplinary nature of the program to sharpen her analytical abilities while also learning about different facets of the energy industry, including technology, finance, and policy. During her time at UT, Nina had the opportunity to work at the Energy Institute at UT and intern at a utility-scale storage developer. These experiences helped Nina discover a passion for emerging energy technologies. Nina graduated in May of 2022, and at the end of the summer she began working as an Energy Systems Planning Senior Analyst with Strategen Consulting based in Sacramento, California. At Strategen, she leverages the research and analysis skills she developed at the Jackson School to develop decarbonization strategy and evaluate resource plans on behalf of clients ranging from local governments to non-profits and international corporations.
Technology Sector
HARPREET KAUR
PhD in Geological Sciences, 2022 Now an Applied Scientist at Amazon
During her PhD, Harpreet Kaur worked with Prof. Sergey Fomel on building deep learning frameworks for seismic data analysis. She interned with machine learning and deep learning research groups at different companies such as ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, and Microsoft Research. Currently, she is an Applied Scientist at Amazon and is working on building large scale machine learning based frameworks to support data driven research.
Non-profit Organizations
ANNA WEISS
PhD in Geological Sciences, 2019 Now a Community Science Program Manager at Billion Oyster Project
Anna has always been passionate about engaging with communities and making science accessible to the public. She earned her Ph.D. in Invertebrate Paleontology in 2019, then did a postdoc before taking a position as a tenure-track assistant professor. After two years, she felt like she was not making the difference she had hoped, and left academia to join an environmental non-profit in New York City. As the Community Science Program Manager, Anna works with the public to conduct research projects relevant to NYC communities and helps advocate for environmental justice, especially around water quality and ecosystem health issues. On a daily basis she applies many of the skills she picked up at JSG, including research and data analysis, project management, communication, and community engagement.
Environmental Insurance
DANA CARSTENS
BS in Environmental Science – Geological Science, 2016 Now an Assistant Vice President at NFP
Dana Carstens earned an environmental science bachelor’s degree through the EVS program at the Jackson School of Geosciences in 2016 and followed that with a master’s in geology from Tulane University in 2018. She began her career in environmental consulting as a geologist engaged in site investigation and remediation activities throughout Texas. She moved into the environmental insurance industry in 2021 to work as an environmental insurance broker. Now, Dana works at NFP as an Assistant Vice President where she specializes in the placement of environmental insurance coverage. Strict federal and state regulations, as well as the push for environmental responsibility, are pushing companies to properly manage their environmental exposure. Dana utilizes her background in geology and environmental consulting to help her clients understand their risk and to place appropriate coverage.
Healthcare and Business
CHASE SVOBODA
BS in Geology, 2017 Now a Business Analyst for Central Health
Chase finished his General Geosciences degree from the JSG in May of 2017. He left Texas for Washington, DC to work for a non-profit as an Administrative Assistant during the day while doing mission work at night. He returned to Austin in the summer of 2018 to work as a contract worker for a geophysics project in New Braunfels. After the contract period ended, Chase pursued a career shift into Special Education and Healthcare. After working with school districts for more than 3 years, he turned to working as a Business Analyst to lean on his skills as a geologist by asking questions on how processes work in an organization, documenting process flows, and creating visual aids to help people within an organization understand procedures. He currently works with Central Health as a Business Analyst in Austin to help research IT solutions and map their success plan for the public healthcare system of Travis County.
Geographic Information Systems
THOMAS QUINTERO
BS in Geology, 2018 Project Manager/GIS Technician for Public Management Inc
While a student at the Jackson School of Geosciences, Thomas was exposed to a plethora of options to draw on when deciding on a career. When the opportunity came to use remote sensing and GIS in NASA’s Develop program, he jumped on it. This experience proved invaluable in finding a job that Thomas found fulfilling and fun. He spent some time in Detroit volunteering in their City Planning department and then moved back home to work for Public Management, Inc. helping small towns in Texas develop comprehensive city plans and apply for federal funds for infrastructure improvements. He continues to make it his mission to enable underserved communities with locational intelligence.
Navigating towards career paths
We hope this list of career paths ignites some ideas for current students! That said, we recognize the difficulty of navigating the job market. Hands-on internship experiences can vary among graduate students who may or may not have additional constraints on their time, so what else can be done to explore career options?
In 2021, Dr. Tina Solvik taught a course here at UT (NSC 098D) titled “Investigating Career Options for Advanced STEM Degrees.” For those curious about this, you can follow Dr. Solvik’s process through herInsideHigherEd post. If you are exploring STEM pathways, the most common ones are listed in the image below:
Credit to Dr. Tina Solvik
This course covered many resources for graduate students to investigate:
Scour online resources such as VersatilePhD for first-hand narratives and shared experiences relating to searching for versatile careers post-grad.
Reaching out to a career advisors across disciplines of interest, for example:
This June for Pride Month, the Science, Y'all! Twitter highlighted a selection of influential LGBTQ+ geoscientists. In case you missed it, we've compiled the threads into a blog post to archive it forever on the internet, making it easier to refer back to. Please get in contact if you'd like to contribute a profile to this topic!
To start off, check out this Q&A by Elenita Makani Nicholas from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability that explores the importance of discussing gender and sexuality in the geosciences!
Dr. Clyde Wahrhaftig
Dr. Clyde Wahrhaftig was a glacial geologist and LGBTQ+ leader in the geosciences. In 1919, Dr. Wahrhaftig was born in Fresno, CA. His mom took classes at the UC Berkeley, so Dr. Wahrhaftig became familiar with Berkeley & its geology.
In 1941, Dr. Wahrhaftig graduated with his bachelor’s degree in geology from the California Institute of Technology. He began working for the USGS and continued while he got his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1953. At the USGS, Dr. Wahrhaftig studied Alaskan geology, particularly surrounding coal deposits, ranging from the Brooks Range to the Kuskoquim Mountains to the Alaska Range. Alongside fellow geologist and his partner, Dr. Allan Cox, Dr. Wahrhaftig published the novel paper, “Rock Glaciers in the Alaskan Range.”
In 1960, Dr. Wahrhaftig became a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley. After joining UC Berkeley, he continued to do field work, especially in the Sierra Nevada. He was awarded the Geological Survey of America’s Kirk Bryan Award after publishing his paper, “Stepped Topography of the Southern Sierra Nevada.”
Dr. Wahrhaftig mapped and interpreted Yosemite’s past ice ages for nearly 50 years and even left money in his will for the research to continue—which finished only recently in 2019. Dr. Wahrhaftig was also an environmentalist: working with the National Park Service to create the Bolinas Lagoon bird sanctuary and using his geologic perspective to advocate for sustainable forestry practices as a member of the California Board of Forestry.
He was elected the chairman of the Geological Survey of America’s Environment and Public Policy Committee in 1971. He also aimed to make geosciences more diverse and accessible, serving as the chair of the GSA’s Minority Participation in the Earth Sciences in 1971. This committee held the First National Conference on Minority Participation in Earth Science and Mineral Engineering the following year. Dr. Wahrhaftig worked with educational programs in Hunter’s Point to take students who are underrepresented in geosciences on field trips throughout the Sierra Nevadas and the Bay Area more generally. Notably, Dr. Wahrhaftig came out as gay in his acceptance speech for GSA’s Distinguished Career Award. He said,
“Receiving this award for longevity has made me realize that my time to do good is running out. So I have decided to use the opportunity you have given me…I am now going to provide a role model for a minority that has been demanding a modicum of the civil rights the rest of the country possess – a minority that has managed to survive largely because it is invisible. It is a minority to which Allan Cox and I belong. We are both homosexuals. The group whose attitudes I wish to affect are those of you who are not homosexual, but who may find yourselves with students, subordinates or colleagues who are. I ask you to recognize that homosexuals can make as much of a contribution to science and humanity as anyone else.
In the last 20 years the homosexual (or gay) community has moved out of the shadows, and there are gay student organizations on almost every campus. So it is likely that some gay students who enter geoscience will not be closeted as Allan and I were. You will have to deal with them as they are. The other group whose attitudes I wish to affect are gay students who would like to become geoscientists, but are afraid to because they think being gay and being a geologist are incompatible.
I want my life, and Allan’s and my relationship, to tell them that this is not so. If they are lucky, as we were, their love and their careers will sustain each other. And I hope that by making this revelation here, I contribute in some small way to the creation of a society with a sufficiently intelligent, open and compassionate attitude toward sexuality.”
At 74 years old, Dr. Wahrhaftig passed away from heart failure in 1994. His legacy lives on as a geologist, educator, and advocate.
Read more about Dr. Clyde Wahrhaftig here or read his GSA memorial here.
Dr. Barbara Nash
Barbara P. Nash, a geologist and geophysicist who even has a mineral named after herself!
Dr. Nash received both her bachelor’s degree and doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley in geology in 1965 and 1971 respectively. In 1970, she was appointed the Director of the University of Utah’s Electron Microprobe Laboratory—capable of analyzing specimens that are 1/10-1/100 the size of a fingernail thickness. In 1978, Dr. Nash became a professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Utah.
She has published a number of important papers in the fields of igneous petrology, mineralogy, and geochemistry. In particular, Dr. Nash studies the geochemistry of volcanic rocks with an emphasis on volcanic rocks produced by Yellowstone hotspot eruptions over the past 16 Myr.
In 2003, Dr. Nash used her expertise as a renowned scientist and experiences as a transgender woman to write a compelling letter to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine advocating against the publication of the anti-transgender book The Man Who Would Be Queen. In addition to her geologic teaching, Dr. Nash designed a course on transgender studies.
Part of Dr. Nash’s expertise also included mineral identification. She helped identify several minerals with Joe Marty, who is a Salt Lake City mineral collector, including nashite—which Marty chose to name after Dr. Barbara Nash because of all her help!
Of Dr. Nash, Marty said, “Since she has been so involved in describing these new minerals, the authors felt it was important for her to be recognized.”
Marty first discovered nashite in 2010 within the abandoned St. Jude uranium mine in Colorado, but didn’t collect it for analysis until 2011. Nashite, or sodium calcium vanadate, is blue-green and part of a mineral class called decavanadates that designates minerals containing V. They form when oxygen reacts with vanadium ores close to the surface in abandoned, moist mines. The color is unusual for this type of mineral and is the first of its kind to have an unusual atomic structure that results in its blue-green color!
Nashite
In response to nashite being named after her, Dr. Nash said,
“I’m thrilled and honored to have received this recognition from my colleagues, but I can understand that for most people it probably isn’t obvious just how satisfying it can be to have ‘ite’ added to your last name.”
Dr. Barbara Nash retired recently and was named Emerita Professor in 2019. Throughout her career, Dr. Nash has aided in the identification of 75 minerals accepted by the International Mineralogical Association!
Learn more about Dr. Nash and the discovery of nashite here and read here about her letter to National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine advocating against an anti-transgender book.
Dr. Benjamin Keisling
UTIG’s very own Dr. Benjamin Keisling is a glaciologist, as well as an advocate for justice in geoscience and geoscience education development. He has been fundamental in the expansion of AGQ, the AGU’s LGBTQ+ organization.
In 2013, Benjamin Keisling obtained his bachelor’s degree in physics from Saint Olaf College in Minnesota. He went on to obtain his master’s and doctoral degrees in geosciences from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst in 2015 and 2020 respectively. Dr. Keisling was then appointed a postdoctoral fellow at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University until 2022. In 2022, Dr. Benjamin Keisling joined UTIG as a research associate!
Dr. Benjamin Keisling uses climatic modeling to understand the dynamics of ice sheet evolution, with a focus on Greenland and Antarctica. By investigating the processes that shaped these surfaces in the past, particularly with respect to changes in climate, Dr. Keisling hopes to better anticipate how those mechanisms will change ice sheets in the future and improve predictions for climate responses such as sea-level rise.
He uses both numerical modeling of ice sheets and climate as well as geological information to examine these processes. For example, Dr. Keisling investigated the seasonal temperatures of the Greenland ice sheet during the last deglaciation in the early Holocene. In this study (published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal), Dr. Keisling and his colleagues merged ice core reconstructions, which are often restricted to annual averages, with climate simulations to model changes in ice volume with regard to seasonal climate variations to determine the Holocene ice volume minimum.
Dr. Keisling’s research has already investigated new mechanisms involved in ice sheet evolution. In a study published in Geology, Dr. Keisling and his colleagues modeled the Greenland ice sheet’s early stages to research the extensive canyon network underneath the ice. With numerical models that accounted for previous topography, climate, and ice sheet growth, the researchers were able to identify a new process for landscape erosion in Greenland that aids in the analysis of geologic features below the Greenland ice sheet.
photo of Dr. Benjamin Keisling (from his website)
In addition to his novel research, Dr. Keisling has also been heavily involved in cultivating a more inclusive geosciences field. He’s been a mentor for STEMSEAS, a chair on the Lamont Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Task Force, a founder of Columbia Climate Organizations, a Co-organizer of the “Cultivating Leadership for Change and Justice in the Geosciences” Workshops, a convener of the Second National Conference on Justice in Geoscience, and much more.
Importantly, Dr. Keisling has also been the AGQ/gAyGU Coordinator and Organizer, run by both AGU and Out to Innovate (previously known as the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals) since 2018. In an interview about building safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community in the geosciences, Dr. Keisling reflected on his experiences with AGQ/gAyGU and noted that in the past, events had been relatively small and mostly attended by white gay men. With encouragement from previous organizers, Dr. Keisling worked to diversify and expand the network of geoscientists in AGQ. In this interview, he said:
“I created surveys, did a lot of tweeting, advocated through my position on AGU’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board, and organized with past, present, and future leaders of the community to make LGBTQ+ programming at the Fall Meeting more visible and inclusive. Over the last couple of years a lot of what I have done is an attempt to ensure that future generations of geoscientists coming to that meeting find a robust representation not only of their scientific interests but also ways to connect with other geoscientists that share some of their identities and experiences.”
As for future work, Dr. Keisling has drawn attention to the particular need to create inclusive and affirming spaces for geoscientists who are trans, nonbinary, and/or people of color:
“Historically these are groups that have not been centered in our community building, and that needs to change. There is tremendous opportunity to build solidarity among affinity groups that serve different populations, and in order to do that work effectively we have to ensure that our community is meeting the needs of geoscientists who experience marginalization along multiple axes of their identity (e.g. race, gender, and disability status).”
When asked about barriers in starting initiatives to cultivate inclusive spaces, Dr. Keisling said,
“The LGBTQ+ geoscience community is incredible and if I listed everyone who has helped to overcome these challenges it would use up the rest of the space allocated for this Q&A. I think there is no challenge that we can’t overcome if we continue to be as interconnected, brave, and resilient as we are now.”
Although early in his career, Dr. Keisling has already accrued a number of accolades for both his research and justice advocacy. He has won both the NSF Graduate Research and NSF GROW Fellowships, as well as an International Ocean Drilling Project Post Expedition Award and a Presidential Citation from AGU. Dr. Keisling was also presented with the UMass Campus Climate Improvement Grant and UMass College of Natural Sciences Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Award.
You can learn more about Dr. Keisling on his website here, and read “A conversation on building safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community in the geosciences”, in which Dr. Keisling is interviewed and quotes are from, here.
Sinjini Sinha reflects on her experience co-leading the week-long undergraduate honors research program (UHRP) field trip to Southern Germany.
Field trips are always an exciting way to explore geological outcrops, and it is even more fun when you get to co-lead one. In Spring 2023, I had the wonderful opportunity to co-lead the Undergraduate Honors Research Program (UHRP) annual field trip, where we spent a week in Southern Germany. We were a team of 18 geo-scientists, comprising of four professors, two Ph.D. students, and 12 undergraduate students. We investigated the Upper and Lower Jurassic Lagerstätten deposits and the Steinheim and Ries impact crater sites.
The Lagerstätten deposits contain exceptionally preserved fossils, including articulated skeletons and both hard-tissue and soft-tissue organisms. On day one, we visited the Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum, which curates the Upper Jurassic Lagerstätten fossils. That afternoon, we explored the Solnhofen quarry which hosts the famous Archaeopteryx specimen (a transitional fossil between dinosaurs and birds). We collected several exceptionally preserved ammonites, bivalves, and coprolites in the Upper Jurassic Plattenkalks which we were allowed to bring home. Fossils recovered from the quarry required thorough inspection by the quarry authorities; any with scientific value must be donated to the museum for research purposes.
The exceptionally well-preserved Eichstatt Specimen of Archaeopteryx in the Jura Museum
“Looking at the fossils, I felt like I was able to time-travel back to a time where protobirds, ichthyosaurs, ammonites and belemnites roamed the earth. Their fossils told a story hundreds of millions of years long, all at a single glance.”
– Amber Nguyen, in her reflection on the trip
Day two’s activities took us to the Eichstatt Collections in the Jura Museum, which is within the Willibaldsburg castle! Along with curating amazing Lagerstätten fossils and the 7th Archaeopteryx specimen, the museum hosts an artificial reef and is home to a 41-year-old garfish (apparently the oldest member of the museum). For the afternoon, we visited Museum Bergér as well as the Fossiliensteinbruch für Hobbysammler quarry for some more Upper Jurassic fossil hunting. After the quarry, we drove to Ries Crater and saw the Polsingen impact melt rock, followed by a drive to the town of Nördlingen, with an evening visit to the church built with suevite impact rocks.
The class dedicated to geology: inspecting the only outcrop of Ries’ intact impact melt rock at Polsingen, in the snow!
Day three to five focused on Southern Germany’s two (unrelated) impact craters. We first visited the Ries Crater Museum that showcases spectacular impact crater rocks, lake cores, and has plenty of information about meteorites, including spectacular samples from all over the world! Emily Bamber, a fellow Ph.D. co-leader on the trip, talked about her own research on impact craters on Earth and Mars, and presented on the mystery around Ries’ first crater lake and the use of lake cores in investigating those science questions. The rim of the Ries crater was best seen from the top of the 70m-tall church tower, which also gave us the gift of some spectacular views of the Nördlingen town, and the opportunity to meet with the tower cat. For days four and five, we visited several sites within the Ries and the Steinheim craters, including the Meyers Keller crystalline ring, and outcrop sites with preserved colourful breccias, megablocks, faulted rocks, and stromatolite. We also visited the Ofnet caves and Roman Ruins, which are archaeological and geoheritage sites.
Shatter cone sample in Ries Crater museum
“Learning about impact craters and physically laying hands on so many elements of their formation and aftermath was absolutely surreal. Seeing the rings of the impact and understanding how they could have formed was different than anything I have ever learned in classes.”
– Madeline Lloyd, in her reflection on the trip
On day five, we explored the Steinheim crater rim and looked for shatter cones at the edges of the farmers’ fields, as they are often turned up by tilling the soil. It was fascinating for me to learn that shatter cones are rocks that are exclusively formed under meteorite impacts. For the second half of the day, we visited the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart. The museum is famous for preserving the Lower Jurassic Posidonia Shale Lagerstätte fossils, which is related to my Ph.D. research on the Posidonia Shale Lagerstätte. It was great to visit the quarries and share my research on exceptional fossilization to the undergraduate students. On day six, we visited the Holcim Factory and Museum in the morning and the Hauff Museum and the Kromer Quarry in the afternoon, both containing the Posidonia Shale fossils. In the Kromer Quarry one of the students, through some luck and a lot of hard work quarrying, uncovered an almost-full fish fossil specimen: an awesome addition to their fossil collection!
A view from the rim of the Steinheim impact craterThe team in front of the spectacular crinoid specimen in Hauff Museum. Photo credits Prof. Richard Ketcham
It was rewarding to see how super enthusiastic the Undergraduate students were about finding fossils, shatter cones, and suevite samples; ready with their hammers and chisels as soon as we arrived at the sites. Each student gave a presentation on a topic of their choice, such as Steinheim snails or Geopark history, as we were visiting the corresponding sites. On the final day, we had to buy extra bags to bring back all the fossils and rocks that everyone collected! Some students brought back large slabs full of fossils with a plan of making a tabletop or a wall hanging. We wrapped up the trip with a visit to Neuschwanstein castle. Built in the 1800s, the castle is apparently the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle!
Squeezing in a drop of culture on the final day with a trip to Neuschwanstein castle
During the trip, Dr. Rowan Martindale enlightened us about exceptionally preserved fossils and Dr. Sean Gulick taught us all about impact craters – the concepts, the physics, as well as showing us rock types in the field. I thank Drs. Jaime Barnes, Richard Ketcham, Rowan Martindale, and Sean Gulick for sharing their wealth of knowledge and mentoring during the trip. The professors ensured that safety is a priority, and we were reminded to put on our boots, carry our rain jackets, and put on safety glasses when splitting rocks. We are all very grateful to all the researchers, museum curators, and hospitality establishments which kept our minds and bodies well-fed with information and delicious foods during the trip, and provided us with places to rest our tired muddy boots!
In addition to visiting my research site, learning about the impact crater rock types took me back to my undergraduate days, where I learnt about all the different impact rock types and their composition and formation. This field trip gave me an opportunity to see those rocks in the outcrop. Although we did not collect samples for research analyses, it was such a rewarding firsthand experience learning how to organize and conduct an international field trip from four great professors of the Jackson School of Geosciences.
“The trip to Germany that we were fortunate enough to take this semester was a beautiful reminder of the community I have found and will continue to cherish after I graduate.”
– Michael Snook, in his reflection on the trip
Students admiring a wall of Ichthyosaur fossils from the Lower Jurassic Posidonia Shale Lagerstätte at the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart
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EIRINI POULAKI
MIGUEL CISNEROS 
PETER DOTRAY
ABDULAH ELJALAFI
BUDDY PRICE, PhD
NINA HEBEL, M.S.
HARPREET KAUR
ANNA WEISS
DANA CARSTENS
CHASE SVOBODA
THOMAS QUINTERO
