A -Streams of Thought- post by Tim van Emmerik

Fieldwork?
As geoscientists we often visit strange and distant places to collect data that will help answer science questions and interrogate hypotheses. In an airport, we are easily recognized: hiking shoes, too many checked bags (read: cases with equipment), malaria medication, and a letter from your professor stating that “all your activities will be strictly in the name of science”. Fieldwork can be exciting, horrible, enlightening, disappointing, surprising, or simply a complete failure.

So, why put ourselves through so much trouble?