{"id":868,"date":"2014-07-21T20:57:07","date_gmt":"2014-07-22T00:57:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rockheadsciences.com\/?p=868"},"modified":"2014-11-16T16:15:43","modified_gmt":"2014-11-16T21:15:43","slug":"research-assistant-volcanic-hazards-elaine-smid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rockheadsciences.com\/research-assistant-volcanic-hazards-elaine-smid\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Assistant, Volcanic Hazards, Elaine Smid @lavabombs: A Day in the GeoLife Series"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Elaine<\/a>

Elaine Smid – Presenting at scientific conferences.<\/p><\/div>\n

NAME:\u00a0<\/b> Elaine Smid<\/p>\n

CURRENT TITLE:\u00a0<\/b> Research Scientist<\/p>\n

AREA OF EXPERTISE:\u00a0 <\/b>Volcanic Hazards<\/p>\n

YEARS EXPERIENCE:<\/b>\u00a0 6<\/p>\n

EDUCATION: <\/b>B.A. Environmental Science, University of Virginia (2000); M.S. Geology & Geophysics, University of Hawai’i at Manoa (2004); PhD in progress, University of Auckland<\/p>\n

WEBSITE: <\/b>https:\/\/unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz\/profile\/e-smid<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

What’s your job like?<\/b><\/p>\n

I would describe my job as challenging, but always fun and very rewarding. I am a research and project management assistant for a long-term, multi-disciplinary international research project aiming to quantify the volcanic risk to people and the services they rely on to live in Auckland, New Zealand. The project is called DEtermining VOlcanic Risk in Auckland (or ‘DEVORA’ for short) (see: http:\/\/devora.org.nz<\/span><\/a>).<\/p>\n

The problem is that Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city and lies directly atop a dormant volcanic field that could produce an eruption at any time, threatening the lives and livelihoods of 1.5 million people. The DEVORA project is all about understanding the past and likely future behaviour of the field to anticipate scenarios that could happen during a future eruption. We can then prepare for these scenarios by collaborating with government agencies and organisations that keep people’s lives running smoothly (for example, power and water companies, road services, hospitals, police, etc.) to improve policy and emergency preparedness plans. We must be doing well, as we’ve gained some international recognition as a good model of an integrated research strategy!<\/p>\n

\"Making<\/a>

Making museum displays. Elaine Smid<\/p><\/div>\n

My job can be split into three workstreams: 1) research, 2) end-user and stakeholder engagement and outreach, and 3) project management. For the first, I help others with their research and get to do a few of my own projects (more now that I have started a part-time PhD!). I help design the research questions, go out to volcanoes to describe and collect samples, use lasers and X-rays and other fancy equipment to analyze the volcanic samples and get data in the field and lab, and then figure out what all the data means. Then I share my conclusions with other scientists by presenting at conferences and writing scientific articles. For the outreach component, I explain what our findings mean to non-scientists and interact with the public: I maintain our website, do TV and radio and other interviews, give public talks and lead field trips, and help curate museum displays. We as a whole team work with Civil Defense and lifeline organisations to explain what our findings mean for Auckland, and get feedback about what they need from us for future studies.<\/p>\n

Finally, for project management, I coordinate and organise our 60+ person research team, updating them on what everyone else is doing, and getting everyone together once in a while to touch base. What that really means is that I make sure everything runs smoothly–I help track the progress of our researchers and make sure our funding partners are happy.<\/p>\n

Whew. It’s a lot, but I love my job, and how varied and challenging the tasks are!<\/p>\n

What’s a typical day like?<\/b><\/p>\n

My day is never, ever the same, so this is a very tough question. I recently gave someone a rundown of a week on the job, so I’ll share that instead as this more adequately captures my job responsibilities and how exciting it can be (or not). So, over one week, I:<\/p>\n