Meet Jenn Pickering

Jenn was so excited about the geologic core she was analyzing that she felt it necessary to remove her shoes and dance around the room! Here, she is pointing one of those shoes at an extremely exciting sedimentary structure in the core.

Jenn Pickering graduated with a cum laude Bachelor of Science Degree in Geoscience from Middle Tennessee University in 2010, a Master of Science Degree in Earth and Environmental Science from Vanderbilt University in 2013, and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Environmental Engineering from Vanderbilt University in 2016. She currently works as a Research Stratigrapher at Shell International Exploration and Production, Inc. In her spare time, Jenn enjoys gardening, hiking, and generally taking in beautiful outdoor scenery; indulging in whole foods and fine wine; learning about childhood development as her daughter grows.

When did your love of STEM begin?

I suppose I was a very curious and observant child, but I mostly focused on creative writing and artistic pursuits all through my primary education and into college. I took an introductory geology course as a sophomore in college, and I never looked back (even though I had to take a ton of math classes to make up for my lack of prerequisites)!

What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?

As an industry scientist, I have access to a lot of data, which makes scientific interpretation work relatively easy and very interesting! I also feel like I have more job security than many people I know in other non-STEM disciplines.

What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?

The biggest thing is to cultivate a sense of confidence in yourself: you CAN do this (yes, even the math classes); you DO belong in this space; you DO NOT need to model your behavior after your male counterparts.