Geoscience Careers in AcademiaDr. Kate Bulinski

Associate Professor of GeosciencesBellarmine University

School of Environmental StudiesLouisville, Kentucky

A little about me…• Undergrad in geology, Penn State-2002• Ph.D. in invertebrate paleontology, UC- 2008• Began tenure track at Bellarmine University, Fall 2008• Received tenure as an Associate Professor of Geosciences

in the School of Environmental Studies, December 2013

What is my job like?• Teach 3 classes each semester• Advise Environmental Studies/Science Majors• Conduct some research, often with students• Do lots of service, to my university, to my community and to

my discipline• Travel abroad regularly with students

– Peru– Guatemala– India

Necessary Training for a Career in Academia: Get a Ph.D.

• In almost all cases (except for if you are a lab instructor of some sort) you will need a Ph.D.

• You will need to have publications as a product of your Ph.D. research.

Master’s or no Master’s Degree? • Many people pursue a Master’s degree first because: – Additional training if you haven’t had much experience doing

independent research– A chance to work on a shorter-term project and publish a paper– Doing a master’s degree can help you identify and create a very

well-designed Ph.D. project

Master’s or no Master’s Degree? • Some people choose not to do a Ph.D. if they:– Have independent research experience as an undergraduate– Have a strong project in mind – Want to attend a very high-ranked university straight out of

undergraduate that does not offer Master’s degrees. – Want to cut down on the number of years spent in graduate

school (not recommended for pursuing academia especially)

How to apply and get accepted to graduate school

• Search the internet for geology departments with people working on what you are interested in.

• Talk to the professor that you’ve had whose specialty most closely relates to what you want to study and ask him/her to identify a few potential advisors.

How to apply & get accepted to graduate school• Send an email to potential advisors introducing yourself

and inquiring whether they are accepting new graduate students in their lab.

• If you plan to attend any conferences (GSA, AGU), see if you can arrange to meet potential advisors there.

• Take the GRE’s no later than the fall of your senior year

• Send in your application packets. Some are due as soon as December of your senior year.

How to be a good graduate student• You need to be self-motivated.– Lazy students or chronic procrastinators do not make good

graduate students– If you get stuck on something, you need to search out the

answers. No one is going to find them for you but yourself.

• Graduate School should be your JOB.– Do not seek too many extracurriculars. – Keep regular hours/a schedule.

How to be a good graduate student• You need to welcome criticism and learn from it– Even the best writers need editors.– Your advisor’s job is to help you produce the best thesis or

dissertation possible and prepare you for a career of research.

Necessary Training for a Career in Academia: Build Your C.V.

• If you are applying for a university with lots of teaching responsibilities, teaching experience is essential.

• Anything else you can add to your C.V. would be helpful– Service activities related to the discipline– Completion of workshops for teaching, grant writing etc.– Fullbright fellowship or other graduate fellowships– Awards

Necessary Training for a Career in Academia: Networking

• Present at conferences. Often.• Be social at conferences and meet other people.• Graduate students at other institutions will be your

colleagues someday• They could be collaborators on research• Other graduate students can serve as an important support network

within the discipline

Necessary Training for a Career in Academia: Networking

Network with faculty at other universities:• Could serve as an external committee member on your dissertation• May peer-review one of your papers• May serve on a search committee when you are applying for jobs• May serve as a co-author on a manuscript• Can give you invaluable advice as you work on your career

Have a post-Ph.D. Plan• Post-Docs?• Applying for tenure-track jobs?• Applying for other university positions?• Seeking other kinds of careers for a Ph.D. in your field?

– Energy Industry– Museums – Science Policy/Advocacy– Science Writing

Why You Might Want To Pursue an Academic Career…

• The lifestyle can be very satisfying– You get to teach students and help them launch their own

careers– You get to conduct your own research– You get to be involved in service to your community,

university and discipline using your specific trainingSUMMERS FREE!! FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE!!

SPRING BREAK, WINTER BREAK, FALL BREAK…

Why You Might Not Want To Pursue an Academic Career…

• Job Availability– Not as many positions as there used to be– Many positions that ARE available are not tenure track– Many positions that are available may be in places you

don’t want to live– If you pick up a spouse along the way, finding a job for

both of you in a new location after finishing your Ph.D. can be difficult…especially if they are pursuing academia too.

Why You Might Not Want To Pursue an Academic Career…

• Academia is changing.– Lots of administrative work at times– Some institutions switching to online classes– Some institutions struggling to attract students– “Publish or Perish”– Get grants or Perish

• Academia pays okay….industry pays better.

Questions?