Episode 16: No such thing as an ‘alternative career’

In this episode, Joyce speaks with Dr. Lisa White, director of education and outreach at the University of California’s Museum of Paleontology (UCMP). We’ll talk about her classic academic career trajectory from undergraduate to graduate student and then from professor to Associate Dean, and how and why she shifted into a new community education-focused role at the UCMP. We also touch on the important roles good mentors like her graduate advisor Dr. Bob Garrison and her mentor at the USGS played during her career. We also discuss some of the work Lisa has been doing in diversity and inclusion in the geosciences and community outreach, themes that have been present throughout her career.

Some examples of the UCMP’s educational materials are the Understanding Global Change initiative and the EPICC Virtual Field Experiences resources.

We also mention the group No Time for Silence, which is a call to action for anti-racism in science from geoscientists of color, which Lisa helped lead.

Lisa also mentions her father, Dr. Joseph White, who helped develop the field of black psychology.

Music by: Wataboi