For me, a career in geology was not a direct route. I'm from New York and came from a fine arts background. When I decided to build a career in the sciences, no option compared to what the CU Boulder Geology Department had to offer. Originally inspired by an inerest in paleontology, during my undergraduate degree at CU I found myself fasincated instead with hardrock geology - mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry. Here, I was offered the opportunity to engage in a variety of field and lab work and was well-supported to explore the world of research, completing an honors thesis jointly between CU and the University of Wollongon in Australia, where I did specific coursework on economic geology.
It was exciting to me to investigate the mechanisms behind ore deposits - going from hammers in the field to precision instrumentation in the lab to better understand some of our most precious resources. The strong academic foundation, hands-on experience, and support for higher learning I was provided by the department at Boulder propelled me into an international career, and I now work as Minerals Advisor for the energy and resources sector of the New Zealand Government.