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Antarctic Field Research: Lessons, Teamwork, Independence, Legacy

Join Jill Mikucki from Harvard in her Antarctic fieldwork journey - lessons learned, teamwork skills, fostering independence, and leaving a scientific legacy. Discover the process of preparing for postdoc applications, building a support network, and developing a research thesis. Dive into the unique challenges and opportunities of Antarctic field research, from collaborating with polar investigators to exploring new disciplines. Explore the importance of effective communication, mentorship, and asking compelling new questions. Gain insights into postdoc proposal development, career goal alignment, and enhancing your skills as a polar scientist.

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Antarctic Field Research: Lessons, Teamwork, Independence, Legacy

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  1. Antarctic field work and the graduate student experience Jill Mikucki OPP-Polar Postdoc Harvard University

  2. …or what I learned in field camp. McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER and Microbial Observatories • Lessons learned • Postdoc transition • Preparing the Polar Postdoc application • Status

  3. Preparation: • Organize • Plan ahead • Build in some backup • Education: • Learn in a natural laboratory • Take advantage of the resources! • Crary Labs, PIs, RPSC, Program Mangers, etc Antarctic Field Research: The Process

  4. Antarctic Field Research: Character building • Teamwork: • Collaborate • “Speak new languages” • Develop a culture of synthesis • Leadership: • Make decisions • Take responsibility • Communicate effectively • Mentor

  5. Antarctic Field Research: Independence • Explore • Provide a new perspective • Ask new questions • Develop research thesis under a powerful support network (PIs, OPP and Raytheon)

  6. Antarctic Field Research: Legacy • The role of research in the history of Antarctic exploration • Contribution to a long-term dataset • Community of polar investigators

  7. Antarctic Field Research: Graduate student/Postdoc transition • Opportunity to learn new skills • Continue my training as a polar scientist but ask • compelling new questions • View the system and data with a new perspective

  8. Antarctic Field Research: Postdoc proposal thoughts • Discussed my ideas with other Antarctic PIs • Read NRC reports (Frontiers in Polar Biology in the Genomic Era) • Met with prospective sponsor • Talked to my program manager • Thought about my career goals

  9. Antarctic Field Research: A few months in… • Training on new (prototype) equipment • Exposure to new disciplines, techniques and perspectives • Field season planning (SIP, etc) • Share the Antarctic process with colleagues and outreach Moving-wire interface for the isotopic analysis of nucleic acids Pearson Biogeochemistry Group

  10. With appreciation!

  11. Questions?

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