Life as a Geologist
So as the title suggests, I am a geologist. I currently work on regulations and groundwater chemistry. My focus is usually groundwater and how pollution from companies can deteriorate it. Did I expect to be on this career path? Actually I didn't. So let's go into it.
What did I first expect to go into? I was eagerly wanting to go into environmental law and become a lawyer. I had the plan to go into law school and study to help the environment. I would be in charge of making the legislation to protect the future. This career path did not go to plan for multiple reasons.
One is that I was a political science major. I did not enjoy my major. It was boring to me. So I changed to a STEM path and continued with law. Two, the classes my school offered for law was either during marching band (which was paying for my school) or during a science class. Then finally, I took the LSAT. I took it twice and hit beneath the benchmark both times. The logic games really confused me. It was not fun AT ALL.
Then 2020 hit, I had to make a decision where I wanted to go. Find a job now or go into graduate school. So I decided to go into graduate school. Graduate school with a focus in my earth science. My thesis focused on groundwater within a well field and contamination. I learned a lot more and found it exciting to uncover the science in groundwater. I learned an in depth description on groundwater geochemistry which connected my love of chemistry and earth sciences. It lit me up like fire. I defended my thesis successfully and graduated. This is the shift to becoming a geologist.
I graduated with an earth science degree by 2022 and within 6 months, I was a geologist with a focus in groundwater. I was working with regulations on mines, coal ash, power plants, emergency situations, and more. This experience, while there are slow days, has been a tremendous experience for me. I did not expect to be working with chemistry and enjoying it. I did not expect becoming an expert witness and defending my practice on the stand to help my case. I definitely did not expect to be with environmental laws without being a lawyer.
Days I find myself looking at water quality and whether regulations are being broken. I find myself talking with companies how to do better and how to fix a mistake. I also find myself reading and training a lot. I grow with the job and now that we have more training webinars, I am learning more.
By doing all these things, I expand my career and help the public. In all honesty, helping the public is a major goal of mine. Geology and in depth sciences are not discussed within the public eye. When it is discussed, it may use tons of languages that can confuse another. I found myself adding another goal to my career which was to learn everything I could as a geologist. Then be able to explain it to the public in a way they would understand it. I have done this a few times already at my job and found that people have thanked me for describing it in a way they would understand it.
I don't know where my life will take me. Whether I will be working here long term or something more amazing comes along... But this job has given me more experiences than I realize sometimes. I am also being trained on much more. So the career of a geologist is long term yet I am excited to see where my life takes me. Where does this geologist end up in her life?
