Roger Bryant reflects on his graduate program at Wash U

I had a wonderful 5 years studying for my PhD in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) at Wash U. Having been unsure as to my preferred career path upon entering the program, I was given fantastic support from the faculty and staff, especially my advisor Professor David Fike. The 3-year graduate fellowship I was lucky to receive from the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences gave me confidence in my abilities and the freedom to pursue many exciting research projects in the field of geochemistry. The research facilities in both EPS and the Department of Physics are second-to-none. I benefited particularly greatly from the presence of a CAMECA Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS) in EPS – stable isotope ratio analyses conducted using this state-of-the-art instrument formed the basis for much of my PhD dissertation. In short, Wash U was the perfect place for me and is well-equipped to be at the forefront of Earth and space science research for many years to come.

 
Having completed my PhD in April 2019, I am currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago, working with Professor Clara Blättler. Building on the work done during my PhD, my ongoing work seeks to understand the chemical evolution of Earth’s ocean and atmosphere in the ancient past. I maintain strong friendships and collaborative ties with colleagues at Wash U and look forward to visiting in the future!