Spending a beautiful spring day in MT grading on me balcony. Is it a bit more difficult than at a desk? Yes. But it's too nice not to be outside. Athena is helping. #phdlife #Geology

Day 2 of comps tomorrow. Watching a storm roll in from my balcony while studying. I will never tire of watching storm clouds roll in over the Tobacco Roots. #montana #phdlife

My life right now. #phdlife #phdstudent

Me. On my planet. #phdlife

A nice trail run this reset the body and brain after the written portion of my comprehensive exam. Pup loved it. #phdvoice

Me after my comps. #phdlife

Let's play spot the students. Also where are we? Montana State MOnSTER Lab and University of Idaho teaching young minds about geology. It's field camp time!

Athena is ready for her last week of field camp with the vibram soles of Ruff Wear booties. The cheap pair I grabbed for her wore out in 2 days. Time for the big guns. She's ready for Block Mountain! #Geology #dogdoratedegree

That feeling when volcanoes follow you and like your posts. #volcanoes

An adorable little frog in my favorite rock, Lava Creek Tuff along Virginia Cascade Drive. Saw her when teaching undergrads about Yellowstone and the LCT last weekend. #Geology #phdlife

Idaho State University's field camp...igneous week. Playing in the Challis volcanics. Shannon Nawotniak teaching students about lahar deposits. #geologyrocks #phdlife

A few days of field work in Yellowstone didn't disappoint. Saw a grizzly and got a fantastic view of the Yellowstone caldera rim. I'm so lucky to see Yellowstone in a way few see it. #phdlife #yellowstone #geologyrocks

Accurate. #geologists #geologyrocks

My Caldera Chronicles came out today. Learn how meddling geologists solved the case of the unknown ignimbrite here : usgs.gov/observatories/… #yellowstone #GeologyPage

Another successful week in Yellowstone. Teaching new students and learning from experts. The Lava Creek Tuff continues to surprise us.

We went in search of dat ash. We found day ash. We also were treated to amazing scenery during our time in WY. #fieldwork #geologyrocks #volcanoes

Another week looking at the Lava Creek Tuff and finding other cool things out there. This last week took us around Ashton, ID and Island Park, ID. #Geology #Volcanoes #phdlife