
Kathy Halvorsen
Professor of Natural Policy
Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University
Professor of Natural Policy
I study and teach about human relationships to their environment and solving environmental problems.
I lead, manage, and work in big, international, interdisciplinary scientific teams studying climate change mitigation and adaptation. My days are a mix of lots of international conference calls, writing, mentoring, leading, and dealing with team crises. I travel a lot and spend a lot of time managing people, relationships, scientific work, and crises.
Here's the first step for college students
You will pick a major, but it might not fit, be open to changing it, dropping out for awhile - I had 4 undergrad majors and four universities before completing my BS and took four years off school. But I worked my way back in, found the area of natural resource policy that I loved, worked hard, had great mentors, and have been very successful (I just won my university's 2014 research award). Your path may not be straight or efficient, but if you go after what you love and work hard, you can succeed.
"You should become a diplomat because you are great at languages."