We are delighted to invite you to the upcoming EGU webinar, “Careers Inside and Outside of Academia: Panel Discussion,” scheduled for Tuesday, 11 March 2025, at 16:00 CET. Secure your spot by registering through the following link: Registration Link.
If you are struggling to navigate the choice between academic and non-academic jobs, you are not alone. While many challenges related to career paths inside and outside of academia are well known and widely discussed, many remain unkown until you face them. The purpose of this webinar is to offer an overview of different career trajectories, and to objectively discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each. Our panel will offer insight into transitioning between academic and non-academic jobs, reminding us that this is not a one-way road, and that science and research are not exclusive of academia. We will outline and discuss many aspects that should be considered while making this major life decision of what career path to pursue, and how to make it the most successful journey in line with your aspirations.
This webinar will feature a panel of established scientists in and outside of academia sharing their experience and advice on:
- Pursuing a career inside or outside of academia, and dealing with the many challenges in each career path.
- Navigating the transition from academia to industry, and back (yes, it is possible!).
- Weighing the positive and negative implications of careers inside and outside of academia for the many other aspects of life.
The panel discission will conclude with a Q&A segment, allowing attendees to engage directly with the panelists. This webinar will be moderated by a team of EGU’s early career scientists.
Panelists:
- Prof. Robyn Pickering (University of Cape Town, South Africa)
Associate Professor Robyn Pickering is an isotope geochemist whose research intersects with human evolution and archaeology. Her work focuses on understanding the timing and environmental context of early human evolution fossil and archaeological sites mainly in South Africa. She has been at the University of Cape Town for the last 10 years, where she leads a dynamic research group and has established the first U-series dating laboratory in Africa, pioneering innovative and cost-effective dating techniques. Prior to this, Pickering was a postdoc at the University of Melbourne, a PhD candidate at the University of Bern and an undergraduate at the University of the Witwatersrand, so she has extensive experience of mobility in academia. As co-director of the Human Evolution Research Institute (HERI), Robyn is committed to transforming narratives around human evolution by challenging patriarchal and neo-colonial perspectives in geosciences, with an emphasis on improving field experiences for women and underprivileged students. Robyn has received numerous prestigious awards, such as the NSTF Emerging Researcher Award and the UCT VC 2030 Leadership Program recognition. Her extensive research contributions include over 50 peer-reviewed papers, several book chapters and encyclopedia entries. She has also secured over R29 million in research funding and played a key role in public engagement efforts, including museum exhibitions, a TEDx talk, and science communication articles. Beyond academia, Robyn enjoys family time with her two kiddos, swimming in the sea, baking, and. listening to podcasts.
- Dr. Sara Callegaro (University of Bologna, Italy)
Dr. Sara Callegaro is an igneous petrologist and geochemist. She studied Large Igneous Provinces throughout her career, reconstructing their mantle source, their interaction with the crust, and their degassing to the atmosphere. She graduated in geosciences at the University of Padova and got her PhD there. She then joined the Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics at the University of Oslo, from 2016 to 2024. She recently joined the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Bologna as a tenure-track researcher. She will soon start an ERC project on reconstructing and deconvolving sources and sinks of degassing from Large Igneous Provinces. She firmly believes in the fundamental role of fieldwork activities in geology, and on making these activities as accessible as possible. When not working, she can be found cycling, skiing, knitting, taking care of her vineyard, or worshipping cats.
- Dr. Simon Clark (EGU, scientific communicator, charity founder)
Dr. Simon D. A. Clark (they/he) is the projects manager at the executive office of the European Geosciences Union, where they oversee community, organisational and project development. A science communicator with a PhD in climate change and risk modelling, Simon strives to make science accessible by engaging non-expert audiences, from artists and policy-makers to the broader public. Simon is also a co-founder and former director of an LGBTQIA+ sports charity, and delivers workshops on LGBTQIA+ inclusion, science communication, and career development.
- Prof. Murray Hitzman (University College Dublin and iCRAG director, Ireland)
Prof. Murray Hitzman is Professor in the School of Earth Sciences, University College Dublin and Director of the Research Ireland Centre for Applied Geosciences (iCRAG). Hitzman has B.A. degrees in anthropology and geology from Dartmouth College, an M.S. in geology from University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in geology from Stanford University (all in the USA). He started his career after his PhD with Chevron Resources undertaking mineral exploration worldwide and is credited with the discovery of the Lisheen Zn-Pb-Ag deposit in Ireland (1990). He moved to Washington, D.C. in the mid-1990’s to work as a Fellow in the US Senate and then as a policy analyst in the White House Office of Science and Technology. He then moved to Colorado School of Mines as the Charles Fogarty Professor of Economic Geology. In 2016 he returned to government serving as Associate Director for Energy and Minerals at the U.S. Geological Survey. He has served on the boards of a number of mineral exploration companies and currently serves as Technical Advisor for KoBold Metals.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights into diverse career paths for geoscientists. This webinar is aimed at graduate students and at early/mid career scientists, but anyone with an interest in a change of career and career discussion will find it useful.
Register now: Registration link.
We look forward to your participation!
*** This webinar aims to provide insight into career paths – it is not a networking or job hunting event ***
Organizing team:
Veronica Peverelli (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland – GMPV division)
Edoardo Sanità (University of Pisa, Italy – TS division)
Guto Paiva-Silva (Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil – GMPV division)
Gökben Demir (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Germany – HS division)
Metwally Hamza
Sound great!