Welcome to the next installment of Meet CES, where we get to meet the people behind the Center for Ecosystem Sentinels. Next up is Dr. Katie Holt, who just earned her PhD at the University of Washington!
Katie’s been with the Boersma Lab since October 2015, when she was hired to replace Caroline Cappello as Lab Coordinator. She started graduate school a few years later, staying in the Center as Dee’s last graduate student. Throughout the years Katie’s trained multiple lab coordinators, published two papers, and spent countless field seasons at Punta Tombo. She just started a postdoc with the Oceans Initiative.
While Katie isn’t officially with the Center, we still wanted to sit down with her and talk about her PhD journey and get some field work tips.
You started out as the lab manager for the Boersma Lab. Did you always want to end up writing a dissertation about penguins?
When I started as lab manager right out undergrad I was just stoked to have found a job within the sphere of marine conservation.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your PhD, and how did you overcome it?
Interestingly, I think my biggest challenge was having confidence in my abilities. I think I built my confidence by breaking down my large research projects into tiny, tiny tasks I could complete each day. Making slow and steady progress helped me build my confidence.
What advice would you give someone just starting out on their PhD journey?
Build and foster your network of mentors. It can be intimidating to reach out to professors but having a diverse and supportive science community is so important!
What’s an essential tool, piece of clothing, or equipment that you always have on hand while out in the field?
A buff is, by far, my most essential item. It can keep the sun off your neck, keep you warm, be dunked in the ocean to cool you off, keep your hair out of your face, cover your nose when you are around smelly creatures – the uses seem endless.
What’s your favorite way to wind down from a long day conducting field work?
Cooking a big dinner for everyone to enjoy helps me wind down.
What’s your favorite dinner to make at Tombo?
A giant bowl of tortellini with a fried egg on top and some chimichurri always hits the spot.
