#glaciology

5 Questions for a Scientist: Glaciologist Kelly Brunt

Occupation: Associate Research Scientist
Institution: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and University of Maryland
Field:Glaciology
Focus:Remote sensing of ice shelves and icebergs

Kelly is an Associate Research Scientist with the University of Maryland and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. She has a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Syracuse University, a master’s degree in Geology from the University of Montana, and a Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Chicago. She was a postdoctoral scholar at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where she worked on ICESat laser altimetry data, and she is currently part of the ICESat-2 mission, which launched last Saturday, September 15, working on validation of the elevation data. On the weekends in the winter, Kelly coaches alpine ski racing at Liberty Mountain, in southern Pennsylvania.

You can follow both Kelly’s NASA and skiing activity or connect with her on Twitter (@KellyMBrunt).

1. Explain what you do in your work in one sentence (or two).

I am a glaciologist (I study ice sheets) and I am part of NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) mission. I am specifically tasked with looking at the ice sheets and validating the satellite elevation data products.

2. When did you first become interested in your field?

I have always preferred the winter. Growing up in Connecticut, my extended family liked to ski together and we often took trips to Vermont. The love of winter and snow (and the cold) led me to work in places like Montana, Alaska, and even Antarctica. Working in these places, and wanting to know more about ice, drove me to go back to school for a Ph.D. in geophysics, with an emphasis in glaciology.

Full interview here.

See the rest in our series here.