Charlie Stillwell

Life in BAE

“I spent 5 years in BAE at a graduate student, hopping between the field and Weaver Labs. I’ve always been a Wolfpack fan (my dad graduated from State in the early 80s) and it was fun to be on campus! I participated in the Department’s Graduate Student Association (GSA) and made friends with other students in my own research team and across BAE.

I changed my career intentions a few times throughout grad school. At first, I was very interested in informing policy with science. However, over a couple years, I got the impression that I would lose touch with research, which I wanted to continue pursuing after graduation. As my graduate research evolved, I became more focused on and interested in data science and statistical modeling. I knew I wanted to find a career where I could apply these skills.”

“Attend local conferences and brush up on your networking skills”

Career Path

“I attended the North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute’s Annual Conference in 2018 and met my future supervisor at the U.S. Geological Survey. She had a booth at a “speed-dating” early career activity, but little did I know that she was sneakily conducting some preliminary informal interviews! I then formally interviewed for a student position which I held for one year as I completed my PhD, and then that student position transitioned into a full-time job at the USGS. Now I’ve been with the USGS for 6 years!”

Advice to current BAE students at NC State-

“It’s never too early to start thinking about academic versus non-academic careers. There are various resources out there to help you learn about all options. Attend local conferences and brush up on your networking skills – it is how I got my job! If you are interested in any federal government jobs, learn how to navigate and set up alerts in USAJobs. Federal agencies take a long time to make hires, so apply early and often!”