Hosted by EarthScope Consortium and CRESCENT
Explore Your Future: Geoscience Career Panel
A panel discussion with geoscientists sharing real-world experiences and career insights
About
EarthScope Consortium and CRESCENT are co-hosting a virtual Geoscience Career Panel. The goal of this event is to showcase the wide range of careers available to students with a geoscience degree. We’re looking for professionals across various sectors—academia, industry, government, nonprofits, consulting, and beyond—to share insights about their career paths and current roles.
🗓 Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00–11:30 AM PT
📍 Location: Virtual (Zoom link provided upon registration)
🎓 Audience: Undergraduate and graduate students, early career scientists, and geoscience enthusiasts
🎥 Note: Session will be recorded
Please use the same email to register as you use to log in to Zoom.
Meet the Panelists
Emily Zawacki
EarthScope Consortium
Moderartor
Emily Zawacki (moderator)
Science Communication Associate
EarthScope Consortium
Moderator Introduction:
Education:
PhD, Geological Sciences, Arizona State University
BA, Geology and Spanish, Lawrence University
Rachel Akie
EarthScope Consortium
Rachel Akie
Cloud Software Engineer III
EarthScope Consortium
Panelist Introduction:
My name is Rachel Akie and I am a cloud software engineer at EarthScope Consortium. I have a bachelor’s of science degree in environmental science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a masters degree in geology from the University of California at Riverside. My master’s thesis research involved using GPS data to better understand reservoir dynamics in a geothermal field. My research focus in geodesy led me to an internship at UNAVCO (now EarthScope) where I still work today supporting science. I learned to code during my graduate school education and found that I picked it up quite quickly. I enjoy problem solving and it’s a skill I use daily in my work today. Outside of work, I enjoy skiing, crafting and spending time with my husband and our cat Kiwi.
Wendy Bohon
California Geological Survey
Wendy Bohon
Physical Scientist
California Geological Survey
Panelist Introduction:
Dr. Wendy Bohon is a geologist who studies earthquakes and works to improve the communication of science.
Dr. Bohon received a BA in theater from James Madison University, an MSc in Geology from Ohio State University and a PhD in earthquake Geology from Arizona State University. Her postdoc was with the Earthscope National Office.
Wendy is the Branch Chief of Seismic Hazards & Earthquake Engineering for the California Geological Survey. In the past, she has worked as a Chief Scientist and Strategic Communication Specialist for the Earth Science Division at NASA Goddard, the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, and the Senior Science Communication Specialist for the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology. She lives in Sacramento with her spouse, twin boys, and menagerie of animals.
Teresa Butler
ExxonMobil
Teresa Butler
Geoscientist
ExxonMobil
Panelist Introduction:
My name is Teresa Butler, and my current role is geoscientist at ExxonMobil. Specifically, I am based in Houston and working on oil and gas development of offshore Angola block 15. In my current work, a skill I often use is geologic modeling. Geologic modeling is used to understand reservoir geometry, optimize well placement, estimate oil and gas volumes, provide the foundation for reservoir simulation, manage subsurface uncertainty, and support overall field development planning. Using these models, I am able to plan future wells that will be drilled in the block. I have also worked oil and gas exploration, lithium brine drilling operations, and well planning for carbon sequestration appraisal wells along the Gulf Coast. Prior to ExxonMobil, I worked one year in environmental consulting at Arcadis based of Cincinnati, OH. Outside of work, I enjoy going on walks with my family, traveling, cooking, baking, and trying new restaurants around the city.
Education:
M.S. Geoscience from Colorado State University
B.S. Geology and GIS Certificate from Miami University (of Ohio)
Alex Olsen-Mikitowicz
AeroTerra Sensing, LLC
Alex Olsen-Mikitowicz
Colliers Engineering & Design – Remote Sensing Manager
AeroTerra Sensing, LLC – Co-owner
Panelist Introduction:
Alex Olsen-Mikitowicz is a UAV remote sensing specialist and geospatial professional with a background in watershed science. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he began his academic journey in Fort Collins, Colorado, including a GeoLaunchpad internship with UNAVCO. He later earned his master’s degree from Colorado State University, where he applied drone technology to snow hydrology research.
Since graduating, Alex has built a career focused on UAV-based mapping and remote sensing, working across Colorado and now Arizona. He is currently the remote sensing manager for Colliers Engineering & Design and the co-founder of AeroTerra Solutions, a company specializing in drone-based detection of orphaned oil and gas wells using advanced sensors such as magnetometry.
Outside of work, Alex enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and flying airplanes.
Liam Toney
U.S. Geological Survey
Liam Toney
Research Geologist
U.S. Geological Survey
Panelist Introduction:
Liam Toney is a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Geologic Hazards Science Center (GHSC) in Golden, Colorado.
Originally from Bellingham, Washington state, Liam completed his undergraduate studies at Pomona College, graduating with a major in physics and a minor in geology in 2017. (He was an IRIS intern at Sandia National Laboratories in summer 2016.) After a brief break from school, including a hitchhiking and fieldwork adventure in New Zealand, Liam completed a PhD in geophysics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, where he was affiliated with the Alaska Volcano Observatory and the Wilson Alaska Technical Center. Liam then began a USGS Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellowship at the GHSC in 2023 and became a permanent research scientist in 2025.
At the GHSC, Liam works on landslide seismology and hazard response projects. His interests include operational classification of “exotic” (e.g., landslides, glacial events) seismogenic Earth processes, landslide source characterization using seismology and infrasound, and scientific software development. Liam often finds himself coding in Python, but he enjoys the occasional opportunity for fieldwork or engineering tasks, like soldering.
Outside of work, Liam likes to bake, listen to and make music, play pickleball, and engage in typical Colorado outdoor activities.
