Dr Caroline Eakin

Dr Caroline Eakin is a seismologist and a senior lecturer at the Research School of Earth Sciences based at the Australian National University in Canberra.

Seismologists like Caroline study seismic waves, such as those produced by earthquakes. Caroline installs instruments (seismometers) in geologically interesting places and records seismic waves that have travelled through the Earth from distant earthquakes. She then uses this information to image deep inside the Earth and learn more about important processes that shape our planet like plate tectonics, seafloor spreading, and subduction.  

What do you do?  

Research is the primary focus of my job, including supervising and supporting the research of PhD students and others in the group. “Research” is a pretty broad term though that encompasses many things beyond fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Like most academics I also teach and do service that supports the broader functions of the department/university. In my case I’ve been introducing first-year students to the wonderful world of geophysics at ANU for over 5 years now. I also serve on the Education Committee and act as an academic advisor for incoming students about study pathways and expectations at university.  

What are the best parts about your job?
What are the hardest parts? 

The best part is the making, sharing, and learning of new discoveries. The Earth never ceases to amaze me. It’s this incredible wondrous thing, this spinning rock in the universe that somehow supports all this amazing life, and that we all call home. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to spend my life gaining a deeper appreciation for how this planet works.  

The hardest part is the limited number of hours in a day and not having enough time to do everything you want or hope or need to do. At the end of the day you have to make priority calls and choices, and it’s difficult when you feel like you’re disappointing someone or not accomplishing enough.  

Why did you choose this career pathway?  

Quite simply I loved doing research, and learning new things about the Earth. A permanent academic job at a university allowed me to spend a career studying the things that fascinate me the most! 

How did you get to your current role?  

At no point did I ever plan on being a seismologist in Australia, but I’m very much thankful it’s turned out this way. There’s probably several main events that lead me to this current position. The first was doing a year abroad as an undergrad at UC Berkeley in California. I was lucky to get the chance to work on a couple of research projects while I was there and that’s when I discovered I loved seismology and that doing a PhD seemed pretty cool. This motivated me to go back to the US after finishing undergrad to do a PhD in a similar topic. I ended up doing a lot of fieldwork in South America for my PhD which turned out to be useful for my current role that also incorporates a substantial field component in remote locations.

After that I did a postdoc back in the UK and started applying to academic jobs in the UK and the US. I never considered Australia until I ran into one of my now colleagues at a conference who told me about a job coming up at ANU. It turned out to be the perfect fit. I applied, I got the job, and here I am. The moral of this story is that connections often make a difference. While moving continents and upping your life every few years is difficult, the more institutions or places you’ve worked and studied, the more connections you generally make.  

How well did your degree prepare you for your career path? 

Given that I now study and teach Earth Science as my job, I’d say I probably use my degree more than most! To be fair there’s a lot I’ve forgotten but the fundamental background a degree in Earth Science has given me has been very useful. Earth Science is so broad that I graduated with skills and courses under my belt in math, statistics, chemistry, biology, computer programming, remote sensing/GIS, planetary science, climate, fieldwork, and that’s before even considering the specialised geophysics topics. I now work with people who study and research all these things as their area of expertise, so having that fundamental background makes it easier to understand a bit about what is going on, although we’re always still learning!  

What advice would you give to students in your study area trying to decide on a career path?  

It’s hard to predict what opportunities are going to come your way in the future. Keep an open mind, don’t be afraid to try new things and even fail at them, that’s how you work out what you enjoy and what you’re good at. Even if your interests and directions change you learn something with each new step, there’s often no right or wrong choice. Make the best of whatever opportunities come your way.