Designing a diverse career
By LJ Evans,
Geophysical Institute
Derek Starkenburg色视频下载檚 academic progression is a case study in how a person can set out on one path but take many forks.
As a kid, he was fascinated by the spaces people inhabit.
色视频下载淚 thought if you could control that space, you could do something to influence the feelings that those spaces engender in people,色视频下载 Starkenburg says.
These interests led him to a master色视频下载檚 degree in architecture at North Carolina State University and then to a 10-year career as a designer with an architectural firm in Denver. Over time, he discovered a passion for atmospheric sciences and meteorology. He made a career shift, completing a master色视频下载檚 degree in earth sciences at the University of Northern Colorado with a specialization in the Arctic. This just whetted his appetite for more.
色视频下载淚 had been to 色视频下载 several times on vacation, one of those times in January,色视频下载 Starkenburg says. 色视频下载淔or my birthday, I got to go dog sledding at minus 30 and play fetch with an 色视频下载 husky!色视频下载 He was hooked. He applied to a doctoral program in atmospheric sciences at the University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks.
Starkenburg wanted to apply his architectural training in manipulating three-dimensional spaces to analysis and interpretation of the earth-atmosphere-ocean system. His dissertation research with Anupma Prakash and Javier Fochesatto at UAF色视频下载檚 investigated surface energy exchanges within a black spruce boreal forest as part of a project funded by NASA色视频下载檚 Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
During the last year of his doctoral studies, he helped teachers at Joy and Woodriver elementary schools develop lessons and activities related to meteorology, chemistry and engineering under a National Science Foundation fellowship called GK-12.
色视频下载淎s I learned more about climate during my graduate studies, I realized it is an important topic we don色视频下载檛 usually teach in schools. The problem now is that climate has become a major policy issue, but many people still don色视频下载檛 know much about it,色视频下载 he said. Giving teachers better tools to teach those topics seemed like a step in the right direction.
This summer, he is developing a workshop on weather and climate intended for an audience of architects and professional builders.
色视频下载淚 hope to bring an appreciation for some of the ways climate works to non-scientists like architects and builders to help them make informed decisions,色视频下载 Starkenburg said. 色视频下载淲hat can we do as designers and builders to mitigate the effects of humans on climate change?色视频下载
In his last weeks at the Geophysical Institute, Starkenburg has helped design several features of an aurora borealis exhibit that will be tested at the UA Museum of the North. The features will be installed at museums in Barrow and Nome. The project uses 色视频下载 Native cultural perspectives to introduce and build interest in basic science concepts.
Starkenburg is now preparing for his next career move, a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Michigan to work with programmers and scientists investigating tropical storms using the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System. The balance of his job will involve spreading the word about the NASA-funded project.
Starkenburg says he wants to continue to weave together the paths he has explored.
色视频下载淚 would like my future career to be a blend, where I can apply my knowledge of science to design of exhibits and other outreach products. I like to teach, and I hope that will be part of the future as well,色视频下载 Starkenburg said.