After being made redundant from her job in IT in 2016, Mary wanted to return to her background in science.

She decided to join an Earthwatch expedition to explore active volcanoes in Nicaragua. It was during the expedition that her passion for geology was born. 

“Looking into an active lava lake in Nicaragua made me realise how alive the earth really is. It inspired me to start a degree in volcanology and mineralogy and gave me such a valuable foundation in the subject”.

As well as beginning her degree, Mary has gone on a second Earthwatch expedition to study wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe.