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Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Volume 51, 2023

Estella Atekwana: Autobiographical Notes

Abstract

I describe my career journey from a young girl in Cameroon, West Africa, to a trailblazing geophysicist to my current role as dean. I chronicle my time as a student, the transition to being an early career faculty, launching my research career, and ultimately finding my way to administration. Along the way I helped pioneer biogeophysics as a subdiscipline in geophysics while simultaneously maintaining an international research program in continental rift tectonics. I also describe the many intersectionalities in my life including being the first Black woman in many spaces, being a champion for student success, developing a diverse talent pipeline by enhancing diversity in the geosciences, and navigating academic job searches as part of a dual-career couple. Finally, I acknowledge all those who helped shape my career including the many students I had the opportunity to mentor.

  • ▪  Many underrepresented minority geoscientists lack the social capital and professional networks critical for their success.
  • ▪  Geoscience departments must be intentional and deliberate in promoting and ensuring more inclusive workplace environments.
  • ▪  Dual-career couples remain a major challenge, impacting retention and recruitment of top talent; universities should provide resources to alleviate this challenge.
  • ▪  Biogeophysics has untapped potential for advancing understanding of subsurface biogeochemical processes and the search for life in extreme environments.
  • ▪  To date, considerable speculation remains regarding the fundamental geodynamic processes that initiate and sustain the evolution of magma-deficient rifts.
Keyword(s): autobiography, biogeophysics, continental rifts, DEI, dual-career couples, student success
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2023-05-31
2024-04-27
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Estella Atekwana: Autobiographical Notes
Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 51, 1 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-080322-082343
/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-earth-080322-082343
/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-earth-080322-082343
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