Alyssa Eggers

I would say support from faculty and peers has been essential to my success. Community within not just geology, but also the ecology department and biology departments - peers and faculty alike - has been incredibly important. Joining clubs like the geology club and being part of student life has really helped me. I think student life sometimes gets underappreciated, but it's been really helpful for me. I've also learned the importance of networking and making myself known to as many departments as possible. It's very important to try and have a balance as much as possible between school, physical activity, community, and making friends. It definitely can feel like a lot, but I never hesitate to reach out for help when I need it.

The best career advice I've received is that you cannot explore enough. It can feel very comforting to find a discipline and just stick with it, but the more versatile you are and the more flexible you are to learn about different disciplines, the more of an asset you become because you're well-versed and you're not stuck within one area that may not work for you. So basically, be open to all the disciplines and don't have tunnel vision.

I would say not to be afraid to, quote-unquote, bother people, whether that's a professor that you're not even taking their course from. Networking is super important - make yourself known to as many departments as possible. Joining clubs and getting involved in student life is also really helpful, and I think it sometimes gets underappreciated. Just try to make yourself known as much as possible. It's also very important to try and have a balance as much as possible between school, physical activity, community, and making friends. It definitely can feel like a lot, so never hesitate to reach out for help.

I think the biggest challenge in the geology field is probably just shifting away from looking for resources and shifting towards protecting the environment. The field is still very heavily focused on mining resources instead of finding those resources and protecting them. It takes millions of years to make a little piece of rock that we're just ripping out of the planet way faster than it can come back. Another challenge is that a lot of people I've talked to in other environmental geoscience fields look at geology as something that is becoming less useful, like it's not an important degree anymore. I think that's just a misconception, almost like a stigma. Geology definitely is useful, whether that be through teaching, raising awareness, or managing resources sustainably.

Most important to me is probably sustainability and environmental impacts. A lot of the work out there has to do with consulting with mining companies and oil companies, finding those resources and how to mine them, but I want to focus more on environmental policy with geology and use my geology background to fight against these companies. So sustainability, environmental impacts, and the longevity of our resources are critical to me. I also value integrity deeply, and I believe you have to have a strong work ethic. You have to be determined and willing to pivot if needed. Community is also very important to me - being part of a community that wants to help other women and support each other.