Herdis Schopka is finishing up a Ph.D. in geochemistry from Cornell University. Her Ph.D. work focuses on the interplay between volcanic rock weathering and the long-term carbon cycle and has taken her to do fieldwork in the beautiful Philippines and Hawaii.
Herdis, a native of Iceland, got her BS in geology from the University of Iceland and worked as a geologist in Iceland before going to graduate school. She has also traveled extensively in South America and spent almost 10 summers guiding tourists on hiking trips and expedition cruises in the wilderness of Iceland and Svalbard.
Herdis currently plans to pursue a career in academia, focusing on research, mentoring graduate students and being an advocate for women in the geosciences and related fields. She will do an Environmental Policy fellowship at the Ministry for the Environment in Iceland in the fall of 2010 and is excited to explore the ways in which her scientific training can be put to use for shaping and implementing environmental policy in her home country.
