Kaitlyn McKinney, Research Assistant/Ph.D. Student in Civil Engineering Looking for Careers in Feild Research or Data Science

KAITLYN MCKINNEY, Texas Tech University

     Abstract Number: 778
     Working Group: Meet the Job Seekers

Abstract
I am currently involved in an NSF-funded research project focused on studying wintertime air quality in central Alaska. I work with data collected from various instruments and construct mathematical models to gain insights into the ambient particulate matter measured throughout the study. I am interested in continuing to conduct field research in my future career. It would be exciting to apply the skills and knowledge I've gained from my current project to any future research I participate in. I have experience working in harsh conditions, manufacturing specialty equipment for fieldwork, and properly collecting field samples for lab analysis. Though my experience is mostly based in near arctic regions, I am open to the idea of working anywhere across the globe. In addition to field research, I also enjoy working in data analytics. The skillsets I've gained from data modeling can be applied to many fields. In a future project, I can work with any dataset to construct a series of mathematical models to understand the nuances of the data. I am also interested in the system modeling or holistic modeling side of data analytics. These are just some general areas I am interested in working in. The main thing I look for in a future career is that the work I am doing will improve people's lives or positively impact environmental health. I am open to working in new areas and fields, especially if I can work towards creating a better world for future generations. I hope to graduate by the end of summer 2024 and would be thrilled to start working as soon as I complete my Ph.D.