I study past climates over various time scales and using different methods. One of my projects uses deep-sea sediment cores from the south Atlantic Ocean—cores I collected as part of the International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 393, which I sailed on in the summer of 2022—to identify links between Antarctic Ice sheet growth, ocean productivity, and astronomical cycles. My other project uses fossil corals to extract the primary chemistry of seawater over the Last Interglacial period, an interval that is used as an analog for projected Earth warming, to more accurately reconstruct sea level change.

What is your education/career background?

UCLA B.S. Geology 2018

UW-Madison M.S. Geoscience 2020

Current PhD Candidate UW-Madison Geoscience, planned thesis defense Summer 2024

How have you navigated a career in STEM as a woman/underrepresented minority?

I started my STEM career as a junior in undergrad and had an extremely supportive research advisor who served as a mentor and guide in my field. She is a woman of color, and it was incredible for me to see her navigate the geosciences and advance our field while also prioritizing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. This experience inspired me and has continued to reinspire me when navigating this field gets overwhelming. I have been able to navigate the geosciences through supportive networks, my undergraduate advisor in mind and all other connections I have made since with diverse like-minded peers. They ground me and remind me to bring my best self in all the difficult situations I have experienced and will continue to experience in academia/STEM.

What advice do you have for women/underrepresented groups pursuing an education/career in STEM?

Most importantly, to take care of yourself. The most difficult aspects of pursuing a career in a STEM field hasn’t been the research, but rather the mental and emotional load taken on by having to navigate a system that inherently limits my success. This includes the people and environments that make up the system. In taking care of myself, I have been able to persevere in some of my life’s most difficult moments. This may seem simple, but I have found that academia values work and progress at the expense of our wellbeing and by actively working against this, we are not only helping ourselves but helping others by modeling success without buying into this mentality.

What do you enjoy most about your career/current role?

I enjoy the collaborations in research. Whether this is through conversations with peers or PI’s at different institutions, or reading research papers that leads to a new idea, I am building off of decades of scientific advancements and it’s an amazing feeling knowing I will contribute to these legacies.

What does diversity, inclusivity, and equity look like to you in your job sector? How do you incorporate DEI in your position?

In my first year as an undergraduate, I started a DEI working group and we hosted numerous events to identify, understand, and dissolve barriers present in our department, which also happen to be common barriers in the geoscience field. As I approach the end of my PhD, I have taken a step back from this work but continue to provide my experiences and skills where I can. This has allowed me to contribute to the DEI Committee for the College of L&S, where I serve as the graduate student fellow. Working on this committee has granted me an opportunity to see how the institutional systems work and has made it possible for me to make connections between the institutions and their influence at the college, departmental, lab-group, and individual levels, among others. Wherever I end up next, I plan to incorporate inclusive non-hierarchal and community-based learning styles that I have been a part of, learned about, and modeled in my own professional relationships.

What is your favorite way to unwind?

I enjoy cozy evenings reading a book with my dog on the couch. I also find peace in long bike rides when the weather is warm.

@villalexndra on X and IG, you can find me on Linkedin as Alexandra Villa.