DR HEATHER SHELDON
Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO
What is your current field of research?
I use numerical models to simulate physical processes happening within the Earth’s crust, e.g. groundwater flow, heat transport and tectonic deformation of rocks. These models have various applications, including understanding the formation of ore deposits, and predicting the behaviour of geothermal systems.
What has your career path been like?
I completed a BSc (Hons) in geology at Aberystwyth University (UK) in 1995, followed by a PhD at Liverpool University (UK). Although I went straight from school to uni, I did take a couple of breaks during my time as a student – firstly a placement at Esso Petroleum between my 2nd and 3rd years at Aber (which, strangely enough, had nothing whatsoever to do with geology), and secondly I took some time out after submitting my PhD thesis to work on a marine conservation project in Fiji (also nothing to do with geology). I think those breaks were invaluable for maintaining my motivation to study, also giving me a bit more time to think about what I wanted to do beyond university. For example, during my time at Esso I discovered that I enjoyed working with computers; this influenced my choice of PhD project, where I learnt how to apply numerical models to geological problems.
When I was writing up my PhD, an opportunity at CSIRO came to my attention thanks to a chance conversation between my PhD supervisor and my future manager at a conference. I applied, but thought I had little chance of success as I believed they were looking for someone with more experience. To my surprise I was successful and was offered a 1 year position, to work in the Predictive Mineral Discovery CRC. So, I packed up a few belongings and headed for Perth, fully expecting to be back in the UK 12 months later. But that didn’t happen – my position was extended to 3 years, then I was made indefinite and sponsored for permanent residency. I am now a citizen of Australia, and I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to live and work in this wonderful country.
My career path has been rather unusual because I have been working for the same employer since finishing my PhD in 2003. I consider myself very fortunate to have avoided the treadmill of short-term postdoc positions. I am also fortunate to have the option of working part time, which has made life much easier with young children.
What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Someone once said to me that anything that is worth doing is not easy. This was not in a work context, however it has stuck with me and I often think of that comment when I am struggling with something.
“Perhaps the most important aspect of my job is the ability to make a difference to real-world problems”
What do you enjoy most about your job/research?
I chose to study geology because I enjoy being outdoors and have always been interested in the natural world. Ironically I now spend most of working time sitting in front of a computer, and rarely go in the field! But that’s ok, because I enjoy playing with numbers and computer code almost as much as being outdoors.
I find it very satisfying to use models to test geological hypotheses or conceptual models. Geoscientists come up with conceptual models about how something formed (such as an ore deposit), and they draw diagrams with arrows showing where the fluid flowed or how the rocks were deformed etc. Often it is difficult or impossible to conduct physical experiments to test these conceptual models, due to the large spatial scales and long time scales of geological processes, or the expense of drilling deep holes to check what lies beneath our feet. This is where computer simulations come in – if we can express the conceptual model in terms of the underlying physics or chemistry, we can simulate it on a computer.
Perhaps the most important aspect of my job is the ability to make a difference to real-world problems. I have worked mainly on geothermal energy and mineral exploration problems, both of which have clear benefits to society. Many people see mining as a bad thing, however the reality is that we need large amounts of raw materials to enable the transition to renewable energy. It is satisfying to know that my work may help explorers to find some of those resources.
What does a typical day of work involve for you?
No two days are the same, but typical activities include meeting with the project team to discuss what we should be modelling (in a new project) or progress with modelling; spending time trying to get models up and running (this can be very frustrating!); processing results; writing papers or reports; writing or contributing to new computer code; and general “citizenship” activities such as reviewing papers.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the same field?
Be open minded and look for the right opportunities – geology can take you in many different directions. Try to get some industry experience even if you are planning to pursue an academic career.
Is there anything you find difficult/challenging? If so, how do you deal with this, is there any advice you have for someone in a similar position?
I am a perfectionist, and often find it difficult to draw a line under a piece of work, write it up and move on to the next thing. The trouble with modelling is that there is always more to do, or a different approach that could be taken. You can’t explore every possibility within a single project. My advice for managing this is to be very clear about the choices you have made, and to document them as you go along. If possible, try to write up your work in the form of a paper or report as you go; this way you will notice up front if there is a problem with your logic or why you chose a particular parameter value, piece of equipment etc. Then you can fix it before proceeding, rather than leaving the writing to the end of the project and realising at that stage that you should have done something differently. Be prepared to defend your decisions; if a reviewer argues that your results are invalid because you assumed A rather than B, you don’t have to agree with them.
How has the field you work in changed (particularly regarding women) since you have started working?
I have never personally experienced negative discrimination in my job, however I know there are problems, especially in universities. I do see more women taking on leadership roles which is a good sign.
What do you see as the next steps forward in your field? Are there any new projects you would like to collaborate on in future?
I recently worked on a project looking at the potential of underground thermal energy storage in Australia. I hope to do further work in this field as I believe it could make a valuable contribution to the energy storage piece of the renewable energy equation.