I’m Mikayla Pascual!
My name is Mikayla Pascual, and I’m a first year PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin affiliated with the Jackson School of Geosciences and Institute for Geophysics. I study the dynamics of the Greenland Ice Sheet and marine-terminating outlet glaciers. I’m interested in what controls glacier change and improving our ability to predict how much ice Greenland will lose in a changing climate. My research interests stem from a background in numerical modeling of Greenland outlet glaciers and studying the processes that control how they change. Currently, my work focuses on modeling and understanding the effect of seasonal forcings and sedimentation within outlet glaciers.
I grew up in Los Angeles, California and recently completed my bachelor’s degree in geology at Middlebury College in Vermont. Although I didn’t grow up in a cold or icy region, I did live down the street from the western United States’ largest gas refinery. I followed my elementary school teachers to air quality protests. I recognized that there were higher rates of cancer and asthma within my neighborhood. This encouraged me to go to college and become a cancer researcher, in hopes of someday helping those in my family and community. But I took an oceanography class during my first year of undergrad and rediscovered my life-long passion for earth and climate sciences.
After having a summer NSF REU internship with the Georgia Tech Ice & Climate group, I learned about the beauty of glaciers, the endless research opportunities in the field of glaciology, and the urgency of improving sea-level rise projections in the coming decades.
This research opportunity inspires me and makes me feel like I’m doing something important for both the scientific community and those who live within coastal communities – my own community in Los Angeles.
I am a biracial, first-generation college student. Within my tight-knit Mexican and Filipino families, I was always encouraged to pursue higher education. Being one of the first scientists in my family and recognizing that the Geosciences are the least diverse out of all the STEM fields, I’m dedicated to making our field more inclusive and diverse.
Outside of research, I love to try new ethnic restaurants, cook, crochet, and spend time with my friends and family.
My mentors and advisors have taught me the importance of working with people who support all aspects of who I am and accepting of my background.
I have yet to conduct fieldwork in Greenland or any polar region, but I have felt connected to glaciology within my research and having amazing mentors. Although I’m still early in my career and have lots to learn, I’ve started all my research projects with little to no experience with either the data or code we’re working with. My mentors and advisors have taught me the importance of working with people who support all aspects of who I am and accepting of my background. Overall, I’m always excited to work with my advisors and see what work can be done within our computers and across institutions.
I hope to continue working on my research and educating my communities back home about the world of glaciology. As a researcher and educator, I hope to reach a range of communities from coastal cities to those pursuing higher education.
Having peers that can relate to my experiences and cultural upbringing inspires me to keep pursuing my degree since I have other people to lean on for support.
I’m inspired by my mentors and peers within affinity groups like Polar Impact, GeoLatinas, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Geoscience (AAPIiG). Having peers that can relate to my experiences and cultural upbringing inspires me to keep pursuing my degree since I have other people to lean on for support. My advice for those interested in the Geosciences is to never be afraid to ask questions and to send that email! Once I realized that I would always gain clarity when reaching out to people, I’ve become more confident within conversations and asking for help.
Keep up with Mikayla on Twitter: @IcyMPascual