Careers inside and outside of academia: Panel Discussion

After the PhD, a new challenge begins: finding a position where you can continue your research or a job outside academia where you can apply your advanced skills. This task is not always easy, and frequently a general overview of the available positions is missing.

Furthermore, in some divisions, up to 70% of PhD graduates will go into work outside of academia. There are many different careers which require or benefit from a research background. But often, students and early career scientists struggle to make the transition due to reduced support and networking.

In this panel discussion, scientists with a range of backgrounds give their advice on how to transition between academia and industry, and what are the pros and cons of a career inside and outside of academia.

In the final section of the webinar, a Q& A will provide the audience with a chance to ask their questions to the panel.

This panel discussion is aimed at early career scientists but anyone with an interest in a change of career will find it useful.

Speakers:

Murray W. Hitzman (e Research Ireland Centre for Applied Geosciences, University College Dublin) has B.A. degrees in geology and anthropology from Dartmouth College (1976), an M.S. in geology from University of Washington (1978), and a Ph.D. in geology from Stanford University (1983). He worked in the petroleum and minerals industries from 1976 to 1993 primarily doing mineral exploration worldwide and was largely responsible for Chevron Corporationʼs Lisheen Zn- Pb-Ag deposit discovery in Ireland (1990). Dr. Hitzman served in Washington, D.C. as a policy analyst in both the U.S. Senate for Senator Joseph Lieberman (1993-94) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (1994-96). In 1996 he was named the Fogarty Professor in Economic Geology at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) and served as head of the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering from 2002-07. He has previously served on the boards of a number of junior mineral exploration and mining companies.

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 post doc 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.

Sara Callegaro (University of Bologna, Italy) - Sara 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.

Simon D. A. Clark (European Geosciences Union - 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 also has background in science-policy, having worked for academic, private and (quasi)-non-governmental organisations in delivering policy analyses and briefs. They are also a co-founder and former director of an LGBTQIA+ sports charity, and delivers workshops on LGBTQIA+ inclusion, science communication, and career development. Outside of science, Simon spends their time pursuing amateur bodybuilding, creating art, and painting miniatures.

If you have any questions about ‘Careers inside and outside of academia: Panel Discussion’, please contact us via webinars@egu.eu.