About Wendy Bohon
Wendy Bohon is a geologist who studies earthquakes and works to improve the communication of hazard and risk before, during and after rapid onset geologic hazards.
She has worked on many tectonics related projects in her career, including the B4 LiDAR project in Southern California, climate and tectonics studies in Northwestern Argentina, GPS deployment projects in Bolivia, thrust fault studies in Argentina and the tectonic evolution of the southwestern margin of the Tibetan Plateau in India. Her research interests include geomorphology, paleoseismology, landscape evolution, geologic hazards communication and geoscience education. She is currently the geologist and Senior Science Communication Specialist for the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology.
Wendy has served on the Executive Leadership Board of 500 Women Scientists and is the author of the blog “Twinning at Motherhood“. She is also the founder of the social media managing and consulting company SpaceFace Social Media. She lives in MD with her husband, daughter, twin boys and a menagerie of animals.
What lessons have you learned in your STEM journey?
One of the things that I've learned on my STEM journey is that I can and should bring my whole self to my science. Who I am as a person - a mother, an actress, an advocate, a nature lover - all of those things influence the way I see the world and the questions that I ask, and science is fundamentally about asking questions.
What has been a critical factor in your success?
A critical factor to my success has been my support system. From the beginning I've had friends, colleagues and family members who believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. Seeing myself through their eyes helped me to stay focused and grounded and push through the hard parts and the self-doubt.
What advice do you have for students and young professionals in STEM?
One piece of advice for people just starting out in STEM is to think broadly about what you want out of your life; not what others expect of you or what you think you should be but what YOU want. Once you know what you want you just need to figure out how to get there. AND, it's ok to change course along the way! Nothing that we learn is ever wasted, so it's ok if your path is winding.