My name is Cian Dawson, and these are my occasional musings on science.
Topics have been known to include:
- groundwater,
- geophysics,
- drones for good,
- environmental contamination,
- open access and public information policy,
- public access to science information,
- diversity in STEM,
- and more.
This blog represents my personal opinions and does not reflect those of my current, future, or past employers. You will not find discussions of my day job here.
About Me
My writings reflect my educational and professional experiences in the geosciences, including a bachelor’s degree in the geological sciences and a master’s degree in geophysics (near-surface, not earthquakes). My career has followed a varied path, including work in the public and private sectors and in for-profit and non-profit organizations. My decade working in K-16 science and environmental education reform also continue to inform my understanding of public science communication and science literacy.
Through my graduate degree, I gained first-hand experience conducting geophysics field surveys to investigate and characterize the shallow earth, including at contaminated sites. Since then, I have continued my work in the geosciences, focusing on geophysics, contaminated groundwater, data and software policy and releases, and public science information. Most recently my work has focused on the application of drone-mounted sensors for environmental monitoring and characterization. I’ve worked with public science agencies, community NGOs, public-interest law firms, and environmental consulting firms.