Author: mlimbeck

Emily Cunningham, Igneous Geochemist

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How did you get into science? I’m a first generation student who grew up in rural East Tennessee and unfortunately didn’t have a great science education heading into college. I didn’t know science was something I liked and could be good at until college and graduate school was never on my radar. I found geology through my love of rock climbing, and luckily had a professor offer to let me tag along on some field work, which kickstarted my research career. That same professor later encouraged me to apply to grad school and helped me through the process.

How did you learn about scientific ocean drilling? My advisor sailed on Expedition 396, and I’ve been working on samples from that expedition for the past two years.

What is your role on the ship? I study lavas that come from the Earth’s mantle to see what they can tell us about what the mantle is made of since we can’t directly sample the mantle or go see it.

Do you use proxy data in your research? Using the geochemistry of basalts (the type of lava typically erupted on the ocean floor) to deduce what the mantle is made of is a type of proxy work, but it’s quite tricky. There’s still so much we don’t know! I’ve developed numerical models to help constrain the possible chemical make-up of mantle source rocks based on the composition of lavas erupted at the surface.

Scientist in protective clothing uses tongs to take a small ceramic bowl out of red hot oven.

How does your work contribute to the understanding of our Earth? Continental rifting is a primary tectonic process and major shaper of the Earth, yet it’s still not fully understood. My research tells us about what the Earth’s mantle is doing throughout the rifting process and if/how the mantle conditions control the type of rifts produced.

How are you training the next generation of scientists? My university has a great program called the Undergraduate Mentor Development Program which allows graduate students to be certified mentors for undergraduates interested in doing research. I completed the program my first semester as a Ph.D. student and have been mentoring the same undergraduate student since my second semester. It’s so rewarding to see how excited she gets about science and it’s been great to see her grow as a scientist.

Do you conduct scientific outreach? I spent last semester in a local high school working with geology and biology classes to help bring my science to them, but also to observe and learn from their teachers how to best communicate science to teenagers.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of science? I enjoy reading and outdoor recreation, especially climbing and skiing.

Is there anything else about yourself you would like to share? I do it all for my dog and two cats.

What advice do you have for prospective scientists? Science is for everyone! Scientists are often portrayed in the media as stuffy old dudes that take themselves way too seriously, but we’re just normal people with a lot of curiosity about the world around us.

Fake it until you make it is a big one for me. Imposter syndrome is real, and sometimes it helps just to keep in mind that a lot of people feel like they’re faking it when from the outside they’re obviously crushing it.

Valerie’s Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Conference Experience

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Background is a conference center, foreground has a smiling person standing next to a banner thanking donors of the conference.
Valerie standing next to the SVP’s welcome reception sign.

Hello! Valerie here, The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) hosts a meeting every year to bring vertebrate paleontologists and others within the field together to share their research, network, showcase their art, and more! This year, SVP’s annual meeting was held at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

 

My first time attending this meeting in-person was last year in Toronto, Canada. I had the opportunity to do so thanks to an honorary free registration. There, I was able to see and experience the layout of the conference and attend talk and poster sessions, as well as meet other undergraduate students and professionals within the field. 

In the background is a blue curtain, in the foreground is a screen projecting the title slide for the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology awards banquet.
A picture of the SVP’s Awards Banquet presentation.

This year (2023) I was awarded the Time Scavengers’ Tilly Edinger Travel Grant and the Jackson School of Geoscience Travel Grant, which allowed me to attend once again. It was particularly important this time around, as I presented my first oral presentation at a scientific conference. I shared my undergraduate research, which explores the relationship between paleoclimate and biogeography using histological analysis of Triassic vertebrates, during the Paleoecology & Paleoclimatology session. Although it seemed a bit intimidating at first, I was happy to learn of the positive responses the talk received afterwards.

During the conference, I saw a lot of interesting talks and posters. It can be easy to get overwhelmed with how many there are! It was nice to see other people’s research and engage with them about the topics they are investigating, especially the ones I don’t know much about. 

I was excited to see my mentor and some colleagues from a former internship, which made the experience feel much more familiar. I also grabbed lunch with others I met along the way, and took a bit of time to visit the botanical garden at Krohn Conservatory (which had a dinosaur theme!). 

Overall, I really enjoyed attending SVP’s conference this year. There were a lot more people than last time, but last year was also the transition back from the pandemic. I will say both have been very cold (being from the Caribbean myself), but I went prepared! I look forward to attending future scientific meetings and growing within the paleontological field!