The PSECCO Conversation Series provides an informal 1-hour discussion space for a small group of early career scientists to explore a topic of interest with a more experienced researcher with considerable success in the topic area. As a participant, you will have the opportunity to steer the conversation by submitting topic-related questions with registration. The host will entertain questions related to the session, so come prepared to have an active discussion.

Registration for August's discussion about 'Scientific careers in research and academia' with Sinéad Farrell is now open. The conversation will be hosted on August 23, 2023 at 1pm ET | 11am MT. Registration will be capped to 17 registrants. Sign-up below.

About Dr. Farrell:

Sinéad is an Earth Scientist with technical expertise in remote sensing of Earth’s polar oceans. She studies the geophysical processes controlling the seasonal and inter-annual variability of Earth’s sea ice.  Her work includes fieldwork deployments to the polar regions to calibrate and validate satellite sensor measurements. Dr. Farrell is a principal investigator on the NASA ICESat-2 and the NASA/NOAA Ocean Surface Topography Science Teams, and she is a member of the Mission Advisory Group for the Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter (CRISTAL). Sinéad was a research scientist for over 12 years before she was appointed to the tenured faculty at the University of Maryland as Associate Professor.

What to expect:

Participants will discuss the differences and similarities between working as a professional track research scientist versus as a tenure-track/tenured faculty member. Sinéad will share her reflections on working in a variety of research and academic positions over the last 15 years. Participants will have the opportunity for Q&A and will converse about their career interests, aspirations and the potential concerns they may have as they chart their own path in science.

Please note that these events are designed to be intimate, small-group discussions. Showing up if you've taken a registration spot (which are limited in number) is important so that you're not taking the opportunity to attend away from someone else. If you register for the event and do not show up to it, you may be restricted from registering for a PSECCO Conversation Series event in the future. If you find out you can no longer attend, please email psecco@colorado.edu no later than 48 hours before the event.