A WOMAN IN GEOSCIENCE, EARLY CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND FOLLOWING ASPIRATIONS

At a young age, Brooklyn was captivated by the science of paleontology, a gateway that is not uncommon for geologists to find. This field was not one she knew to exist as a career path until she began attending college. Her education began at a junior college in Utah where she quickly fell in love with her geology studies and field expeditions. After earning her associates degree, she transferred to Weber State University where she graduated in 2020 with her Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and in 2021 with her Certificate of Geospatial Analysis. Throughout her education journey, many unique internship opportunities provided her with an inside look at a variety of geoscience career paths. She explored gold mining, geotechnical, soil laboratory science, academic, government appointments, hazards, geothermal, and geospatial career options before settling on her current role at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Since joining the National Geologic Synthesis (NGS) team, her daily activities include conducting 2.5-dimensional geologic mapping and modeling analyses. Though there were disruptions and difficulties, she does not regret any of her experiences and encourages others to not fear exploring a variety of different paths. Brooklyn takes pride in finding a healthy work and life balance by finding fulfillment with other hobbies including cycling, reading, hiking, and traveling. Her best two pieces of advice, 1) find that balance for yourself too and 2) do not be afraid to diversify your career portfolio.