Heidi Stenner - Research Geologist

Heidi Stenner
Born 1974 in North Carolina
Education: Bachelor's degree in Geology; Master's degree in Geology

Favorite TV Show: Northern Exposure and Will & Grace.

Favorite Music: "Trance" electronica makes me smile. But I like all music.

Favorite Hobbies: Sculpting with clay,sea kayak, grow flowers and plants, read, and travel.

What is the best thing about your job? I get to travel to amazing places that, if it weren't for the job, I might not otherwise have a chance to see.

What is the most interesting technology you use in your job? I get to use laser equipment to make maps of where I work. Also, I carry a pager that can send and receive emails, and when an earthquake happens in northern California, I automatically get a message sent to me telling me the size and location. That way, when there is a big earthquake I can immediately start to plan my work.

Did you like science or math when you were in school? I have always liked the idea of being a scientist - I enjoyed watching scientists on TV or reading about them. But in school, I didn't always like my science classes. I did usually like the science labs, when you got to really play with different materials and figure out why they do what they do. I was good in math classes but math wasn't something I loved to do.

What made you enter your profession? I always loved being outside and looking at rocks, shells, mountains, and rivers.

What are your memories of any science investigations you did as a child? I loved to watch animals, like the creatures in ocean tide pools or my cat, and think about why they looked like they do and why they did what they did. I also got a plastic microscope one year, and I looked at everything I could under the light. It was amazing to see the whole other world that normally you don't see.