Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable fall 2024 graduates.
For some, road trips mean endless snacks, winding highways and a playlist that's on repeat. But for Jisoo Kim, road trips were the spark that ignited a lifelong curiosity about geology.
Driven by her passion for geology and a desire to learn from Arizona’s world-class geology faculty and rich geological landscapes, Kim set her sights on Arizona State University. In August, she graduated with a PhD in geological sciences from the School of Earth and Space Exploration, and will celebrate at this December's fall convocation.
Kim credits the School of Earth and Space Exploration for instilling in her a strong sense of perseverance. During her time at ASU, she learned to navigate challenges, manage roadblocks and effectively organize her tasks and time. This work ethic proved invaluable as she tackled the demanding final stretch of her graduate career, which included defending her dissertation, continuing her research, working as a teaching assistant and applying for jobs.
Reflecting on ASU’s interdisciplinary spirit, Kim recalls the diverse approaches to volcanology she encountered during her studies.
“With ASU’s abundant resources, I gained experience, or at least exposure, to many different methods of volcanology research. I hope this foundation will inspire creative directions in my future work," she said. "I also had the pleasure of serving as a (teaching assistant) for a wide range of courses throughout my graduate journey.”
With a deep enthusiasm for geology and a multifaceted approach to volcanology, Kim now teaches geology, mineralogy and volcanology as a visiting assistant professor at the Sewanne: The University of the South, inspiring the next generation of geoscientists.
Kim shared some of her thoughts and experiences with ASU News.
Question: What was your “aha” moment when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in?
Answer: Something clicked for me when learning about plate tectonics in intro geology as an undergrad. I had learned about it before, but that time around, I became obsessed with the idea that volcanism was both constructive and destructive.
Q: Why did you choose ASU?
A: I was excited to come to ASU because of the world-class geology basically in every square inch of Arizona — not to mention the world-class geologists in the School of Earth and Space Exploration.
Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?
A: Professors Amanda Clarke and Kurt Roggensack challenged me to bring a high level of rigor to work every day. They also encouraged me to enjoy life outside of work through things like food, golf, football and theater.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: After graduating in summer 2024, I began teaching geology, mineralogy and volcanology as a visiting assistant professor at the University of the South (Sewanee, Tennessee).
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
A: It sounds funny to use money to solve a problem of money, but we need to stop runaway capitalism. Grassroots organizations do need financial resources to build power, though, so that’s my answer.
Q: Any influences from past teachers, friends or family?
A: My parents are not geologists whatsoever, but they unknowingly encouraged me to become a geologist by taking our family on amazing road trips across the western U.S. This made me very comfortable with the outdoors and exposed me to the world beyond the suburbs.
School of Earth and Space Exploration grad alum Sean Peters was, and is, a friend and mentor to me in the worlds of volcanology and liberal arts college teaching. I have been fortunate to have had many incredible public school teachers who exemplified the kooky science teacher archetype that I find myself imitating nowadays. More importantly, though, they created a learning environment that made me confident in my own abilities, and that philosophy is something I take seriously now that I am teaching.
Q: How has your academic program at ASU shaped your approach to research and problem-solving?
A: Through graduate school at ASU, I learned how to organize my tasks, priorities and time in order to A. Figure out what I needed to get done and B. Actually do it. Naturally, road blocks of some kind came up on a near-daily basis. But navigating around them built up my resilience and work ethic. As Professor Ramon Arrowsmith said to me once, “Keep it pushing.”
Q: Can you share a particularly challenging moment in your graduate journey and how you overcame it?
A: The hardest moments of my graduate journey came toward the end. I was trying to assess when I could realistically defend, continue research and TA-ing, and apply to jobs. There were times when I seriously doubted whether I deserved to finish my degree and continue research into the future. Coincidentally, I was spending a lot of time at home my final year, so I pushed through the doubts with the support of my family.
Q: How do you balance the demands of graduate studies with personal life and self-care?
A: Through some trial and error, I have learned what it really means to listen to your body. For me, self-care physically has to come first, or else I will not be able to show up for my professional and personal lives.
Q: Can you discuss a project or piece of research you're particularly proud of and the impact you hope it has?
A: I’m excited about my dissertation chapter on the most recent explosive eruption sequence at the Valles Caldera, New Mexico. This topic, beyond just my chapter, has many threads and involves several other School of Earth and Space Exploration graduate students and collaborators at the U.S. Geological Survey.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming graduate students to help them make the most out of their ASU experience?
A: Did you ever have a teacher who said, “Ask three before you ask me?" I would have to echo that -— ask older students, postdocs, etc., for help before assuming that something does not work or that you are in some unique situation. That was the most common problem I saw within graduate student culture over the years. Reinventing the wheel is a waste of time at best and disrespectful at worst.
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