“I think my liberal arts education helped me to remain well-rounded in how I see the world.”
Lives in: Worcester, MA
Majors/minor: Geography and Mathematics double-major, Economics minor
What work looks like: “I mainly teach and do research. I am a climatologist, so my research looks at better understanding how climate is changing and how it impacts water resources and ecosystems. I lived in Honolulu for 12 years, and I mainly work in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands studying drought and working with local resource managers and communities to build resilience. I was the chapter lead author of the Hawaii-Pacific Islands chapter of the 5th U.S. National Climate Assessment. On the teaching side, I work with both undergraduates and graduate students, teaching courses like Earth System Science, Hydroclimatology, and Climate Dynamics.”
What she loves about it: “I love so many aspects of my job. The most rewarding part is seeing the impact of my work and helping make sure that what I do is actually useful and making a difference in the world. As a professor, I not only get to do this through my research, but also through teaching students. I’m incredibly lucky to be in this position.”
What she gained from a liberal arts education: “I think my liberal arts education helped me to remain well-rounded in how I see the world. It exposed me to a wide range of subjects and really allowed me to explore my interests and find the fields I am passionate about. In addition to math and science, I loved being able to take a musical theater class my senior year!”