Geoscience Careers in Academia
Dr. Kate Bulinski
Associate Professor of Geosciences
Bellarmine University
School of Environmental Studies
Louisville, Kentucky
A little about me…
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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?
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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
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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:
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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
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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?
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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 training
SUMMERS 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.
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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?