Hosted by EarthScope Consortium and CRESCENT
Where Earth Meets Opportunity: Careers in Geoscience
A panel discussion with geoscientists sharing real-world experiences and career insights
About
EarthScope 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, September 17, 2025
⏰ Time: 12:00–1:00 PM MT
📍 Location: Virtual (Zoom link provided upon registration)
🎓 Audience: Open to All
🎥 Note: Session will be recorded
Meet the Panelists
Emily Zawacki
EarthScope Consortium
Moderartor
Emily Zawacki (moderator)
Science Communication Associate
EarthScope Consortium
Emily is a passionate science communicator and enjoys finding ways using new media to make the geosciences accessible and engaging. Emily holds a Ph.D. in geological sciences from Arizona State University and has experience in geoscience outreach, education, and communications. In her free time, Emily enjoys crafting and DIYs and going to the Disney Parks.
Education:
PhD, Geological Sciences, Arizona State University
BA, Geology and Spanish, Lawrence University
Brandon Clark
Arguindegui Oil Company
Brandon Clark
CA Operations and Compliance Geologist
Berry Corporation
bio
Education:
Robert de Groot
U.S. Geological Survey
Robert de Groot
Physical Scientist
U.S. Geological Survey – EarthQuake Science Center
ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System
Robert de Groot is an operations team lead for the USGS-managed ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System, a public safety system, serving 50+ million people in California, Oregon, and Washington. Robert manages communication, education, outreach, and technical engagement. He recruits technical partners to use ShakeAlert data to deliver alerts to people, such as to their cell phone, and to trigger automated actions like slowing down trains and closing valves to protect water supplies. Robert leads a team of over 60 people from universities, emergency management agencies, museums, K-12 schools, and others to keep people safe.
Prior to working at the USGS, Robert was the director of education and internship programs at the Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC) at the University of Southern California.
Education:
PhD, Science Education, University of Southern California
MA, Physical and Earth Science Education, Northern Arizona University
AB, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Occidental College
Tina Dura
Virginia Tech
Tina Dura
Assistant Professor of Natural Hazards
Virginia Tech
Dr. Dura specializes in subduction zone paleogeodesy, which combines the methods of coastal stratigraphy, sedimentology, micropaleontology, paleoseismology, geophysical and sediment transport modeling, and sea-level research to reconstruct long-term histories of coseismic vertical deformation and tsunami inundation along subduction zone coastlines.
Education:
PhD in Earth Science (Sea-level Research), University of Pennsylvania
MA in Geology, Central Washington University
BA Honors in Geology, Occidental College
Allison Pyrch
Stantec
Allison Pyrch
Principal Resilience and Geotechnical Engineer
Stantec
bio
Education:
MS, Civil (Geotechnical) Engineering, Oregon State University
BS, Cilvil Engineering, Oregon State University
BS, Math Whitman College
Hannah Rabinowitz-Pratt
FEMA
Hannah Rabinowitz-Pratt
Earthquake Program Manager
FEMA
bio:
Education:
PhD (Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences), Columbia University
