First-Gen Geoscience Community Blog
As someone from a rural area of the UK and a ‘normal’ working class background my early life was quite straight forward, I did not have access to what city living can offer and going out for dinner or coffee was not part of life. Less is more. For some reason I read insatiably from a young age, and I was fortunate to do well in school while not being pressured to go straight out to work afterward. Unlike my parents before me and a bunch of my schoolmates, I was lucky enough to be able and encouraged to consider higher education – the chance to do so would give me choices that could make for a better life. Being the first member of my large extended family to attend any kind of University for any form of degree was an enormous privilege. It was not going to be easy.
In preparing to head off to earn a degree, I worked not one but several part-time jobs throughout my teens and my parents (biological and stepdad) took on extra work just in case. Plus, a full student loan would help. While investigating what university was all about my first ever trips to nearby and distant universities were undertaken to gauge where I might ‘fit’ as independent life got underway. I didn’t realise it then, but the grade expectations I needed to achieve for my university places recognised my circumstances, making the way in within reach. Though torn between studying English Literature (the creative of reading thrills!) and the reasoned detective work of science, I ultimately settled on geosciences at Durham University partly because the course included studies of volcanoes. If, when my degree started, I felt that I had not chosen the right subject I figured asking to switch would be possible. Plus, the basketball teams and charitable fundraising in my own time appealed and have led to lifelong friendships.
Fortunately, some mentors encouraged and liberated me; the previously unknown subject of geology turned out to be enjoyable to learn, so much so that I went on to surprise myself and earned a first class MSci. My final year project led to an actual scientific publication – who knew scientific research could be so much fun? I had no sense of this before my foray into a proper laboratory. Getting to this point left me with £10 in the bank on my graduation day despite having worked my ‘holiday’ job seven days a week during every term break. However, during a very busy final year I had been lucky enough to line-up what came next and went on with a Full Scholarship to earn a Ph.D with the Open University.
Armed with a doctorate I was feeling brave and accepted a position in the United States to work on fragments of rock from Mars and the asteroid belt! The beginning of an addiction, I am now a planetary scientist prone to overexcitement concerning the mysteries of the cosmos – yes, this is an actual job! Along the way I’ve worked not only in the USA, but in Canada too before gaining an Individual Fellowship that brought me back to Europe.
Attending scientific conferences as part of my job has introduced me to all kinds of people doing all sorts of fascinating work in many different places. I have Edited a Special Issue of a leading journal in my area of study, have academic books underway, am currently writing something fun to share science with young children, and have been part of the team or led international meetings – including Forming & Exploring Habitable Worlds event that I Chair in November 2022 in Edinburgh. An expedition has even been led on New Zealand’s South Island making me a National Geographic Explorer! All such achievements I would never have even dreamt of doing when a child.
But in being human it has not all been times of joy, life has thrown up bumps in the road and I’ve been through a divorce, breakdown, and depression. Such experiences can build our empathetic side and can ultimately make us wiser and stronger. Now part of my time is spent working with impassioned teams of activists (e.g. this group) who are making the way that we learn and work better for everyone; creating more opportunities while helping others access what they need. All so that today’s researchers and educators, as well as the generations of bright minds to come, can dream big and go on to change the substance and the image of science (as well as the wider workforce). Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever your circumstances or path through life, do what is right for you and find the people and environment that sets you free. Anyone might change the world for the better. It could be you next, but only if you give it a try.
Amy Riches is a planetary scientist (University of Edinburgh, UK & SETI Institute, USA), knitter, and writing hobbyist who studies rocks from space to understand the history of our Solar System, how Earth was birthed, the reasons that our home world supports life and how to care for and protect it, and whether – a little like the crews of Star Trek – we might one day venture further and live responsibly on other worlds.