“I love sharing science and watching people’s eyes widen in wonder as they come to appreciate the amazing ways in which nature works all around us.”
Whenever I get asked what I study, I brace myself for the two most common types of reaction: the “Geology? Isn’t that just colouring in?” and the “I thought Imperial only offers STEM degrees!” Despite often being discounted and overlooked, geology is an important science that underpins every aspect of our lives. From the soils that grow our food and the mines that produce metal for our phones and cars, to the mitigation of natural hazards and the development of renewable energy to aid the green transition, I have enjoyed learning different applications of geology that shape and improve our society.
At Imperial, I am never short of opportunities to put the knowledge and skills I gained into practice, most notably on field trips. Whether it is visiting quarries in Lake District, fossil hunting in Wales, examining folds in Scotland, or investigating volcanism in Santorini, I always have a great time observing and interpreting different environments, piecing together the clues to solve an intricate puzzle presented by Mother Nature.
Sometimes these cases can also turn up in a laboratory. Through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme, I have explored the dissociation of carbonic acid with the Environmental Geochemistry Group at Imperial and the composition of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites with the Planetary Materials Group at the Natural History Museum. Participating in real research has been extremely exciting, and I am very grateful for the chance to learn from some amazing researchers!
Having enjoyed studying earth science so much, I often support outreach events to encourage younger students to study STEM subjects and promote public engagement with science, such as workshops in the Wohl Reach Out Lab and talks at the Great Exhibition Road Festival. I love sharing science and watching people’s eyes widen in wonder as they come to appreciate the amazing ways in which nature works all around us. I look forward to delivering another fun activity at this year’s festival!