As I prepare this column, I am frantically packing my belongings in New York
City and preparing for my upcoming work in Washington, D.C., as the 2004-2005
Congressional Science Fellow for the American Geological Institute. It seems
fitting that my last moments in New York overlapped with the start of the Republican
National Convention. As I straddle the divide between academia and policy, I
have the opportunity both to reflect upon my career as a research scientist
and to look forward to my future work as a science-policy adviser.
I am a geochemist and igneous petrologist. For the last eight years, I have
been obsessed with studying volcanic rocks from the ocean floor. These “mid-ocean
ridge basalts” are the most abundant volcanic rock on the planet, covering
nearly two-thirds of Earth’s surface. They form at the boundary of two
tectonic plates that are spreading apart from one another. To many people, they
are just a bunch of boring black rocks, but to me, they are fascinating. Perhaps
it is the glistening glassy rinds that entrance me, or perhaps it is the exhilaration
felt on the ship when these rocks break the surface of the water dripping and
wet, as we pull them up from 2.5 kilometers deep.
These volcanic rocks also provide the primary means of exploring the chemical
composition and workings of Earth’s interior. The chemical compositions
of the rocks are especially powerful because they record information not only
about current physical conditions within Earth’s mantle but also about
its history. Thus, my job is somewhat similar to that of an interpreter —
reading and deciphering the chemical codes within volcanic rocks. Anyone who
shares my aesthetic sensibilities and sense of adventure would enjoy life as
an igneous petrologist.
My start as a geologist began in Texas at Trinity University in San Antonio,
where I gained an appreciation for the beauty of the outdoors. Geology empowered
me to understand why this mountain stood here and why that valley cut through
there. After finishing my bachelor’s degree, I spent an amazing year in
Dunedin, New Zealand, on a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Otago,
earning my master’s degree. After enjoying scenery as breathtaking as that
in The Lord of the Rings, meeting many fantastic people, I returned to
the United States to complete a Ph.D. at Columbia University.
Since earning my Ph.D. degree, I have continued my research at Columbia and
have looked to expand my role as a scientist — through both teaching and
grant writing. Especially rewarding has been my work toward bringing 3-D seismic
technology to the research community. Past explorations of the many hazardous
faults near coastal areas and the gas hydrate deposits beneath the ocean floor
have been limited because the academic community lacked a ship capable of utilizing
the 3-D technology commonly used by industry. I climbed aboard what was ultimately
a successful effort to upgrade the R/V Maurice Ewing at Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory of Columbia University to a larger, more powerful seismic
research vessel.
Now I move on to the Congressional Science Fellowship with anticipation and
many unknowns. More than ever, science and technology is key in daily life,
with serious issues like AIDS, global warming and fossil fuel market crises
dominating headlines and policy. As discoveries in science and technology move
forward at a rapid pace, the results are often complex. A thorough and technical
understanding of these issues is required for making sound and responsible public
policies. Thus, we must do more to strengthen the link between scientists and
policy-makers.
Forging this link is one of the most important goals of the Congressional Science
Fellowship program. I hope in the upcoming year to better understand where science
and public policy intersect so that we as a society can build the longstanding
collaboration between scientists and policy-makers necessary to ensure that
public policy keeps pace with the cutting edge of science.
I look forward to keeping all of you up to date on my progress and work this
upcoming year.
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