Alison LaBonte

What is your job on the ship? Geology Graduate student deploying flow meters.

How long have you been doing this? 1 ½ years.

What is your favorite part of what you do? As a graduate student, I enjoy being able to think of my own scientific theories and follow through with testing them.

What is the least favorite part of your work? The frustration that I feel when spending months to solve a particular problem that may take a specialist only a week to solve.

How/why did you get into this field? I was enticed by the field work involved and the chance to go on research cruises like this Mariana forearc cruise.

What are your career goals? To develop/design ocean instrumentation

What is the biggest misconception about what you do: That I get to scuba dive for my marine geology research.

What is the most important skill/trait that you rely on? I’m not afraid to ask questions.

What is your most memorable experience from your career? Taking my departmental exams.

Tell us something about yourself. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area where I was able to develop a love for exploration of both mountain and sea via back-packing, cross-country skiing, swimming, and scuba diving.