About Me

I grew up in Albuquerque, NM and Herrin, IL. I love exploring the outdoors with my dogs, playing in the dirt and looking at rocks, camping, and riding my motorcycle. In school, I did math team, science team, scholar bowl, drafting team, volley ball, cross country, track/field, and yearbook. I joined the Army after 9/11 and went to Afghanistan in 2003. I then went to college and got my Bachelors and Masters in Geology. I worked for Newmont in NV, and now work for Newmont in Australia.

Briefly share what you do as part of your job

I plan exploration drill holes to map the rocks beneath our feet. I do field work to advise teams of drillers, who drill solid round cores out of the ground. I map what I see in the rocks, we test the rocks for gold, and I then build a CAD model to show where to mine out the gold.

What Inspired You to Explore STEM?

I had some supportive and caring science and math teachers. I joined all the clubs and sports I could to stay out of the house, my science/math teachers helped me to do that. My parents wanted me to be a Doctor or Pharmacist. I chose geology instead, we can all choose our own paths!.

What Do You Enjoy Most About Your STEM Career?

Exploring how the earth as we know it was formed is by far my favorite thing. I get to be the first person to ever see a rock formation for the first time, with my own eyes. I then get to build a model that shows how the rocks were bent, how fluids flow up through them carrying minerals, and the effects of techtonic plates crashing into eachother

What is a STEM fact about your field?

Without mining there would be no cell phones, no razors or skateboards, no bicycles, no planes, trains, or automobiles, no computers, no roads, no metal knives or utensils, no pots, woks, or pans. no pencils, pens, chalk, chalk boards, no dry erase board either. All we would have is things made of wood, bone, and leather.

Additional Resources

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/projects-lessons-activities/geology/middle-school