The Ohio State University

Liz Miller
Class of 2006
Major: Earth Sciences

When she started at Ohio State as an Earth sciences major, Liz Miller didn't realize how approachable professors are and that most of them are eager to get students involved in research. "Most professors have some type of ongoing research project that they would love help on, and they are also more than happy to help out young scientists," she says. "But they don't seek you out, you need to be aggressive and upfront and approach professors to demonstrate that you want to get involved."

Once she got involved with research as a junior, Miller began working on several projects, including one on magnesium and iron distribution in magma that she presented at a national geology conference. During her senior year she traveled to Antarctica on a research trip, where she worked on her senior thesis, which involves looking at the weathering rate of 1-4 million year old volcanic cones in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica.

Miller says she always figured she would go to graduate school to get a Ph.D., but she didn't know what type of project she wanted to do once she got there. Doing research as an undergraduate helped her figure it out. "Being involved in research at the Byrd Polar Research Center and getting the chance to go to Antarctica, I realized that I wanted to continue doing research in the Antarctic, and perhaps the Arctic, in graduate school," she says. "As a result, I will be attending graduate school at Johns Hopkins University and heading back down to the ice! My undergraduate research experience has definitely helped me get in to the graduate school of my choice and continue doing the research that I love."

 

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