Mapping the Future:
Navigating Early Career Paths in Geohazards & Geological Engineering
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 | 5:30 - 7:00 PM ET | Online
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Whether you're a student mapping out your future or a recent graduate seeking your first role, the path to a career in Geohazards and Geological Engineering can feel like uncharted territory.
In this panel, experienced professionals from academia, industry and private consulting, and government will share insights from their unique career journeys and offer perspectives on opportunities across these evolving fields.
Key Takeaways:
Explore Career Paths: Learn how geohazards and geological engineering careers differ across academia, government, consulting, and industry, and how to find the path that fits your goals.
Education & Licensure: Understand the role of a master’s vs. PhD and the value of professional licensure (P.G. & P.E.) in advancing your career.
The Reality of Field Work: Hear what it’s really like to travel for field projects, conduct site investigations and geologic assessments, and maintain a healthy work–life balance.
Breaking into the Field: Get practical advice on meeting job requirements, developing in-demand technical skills, building your network, and growing your career.
Meet the Panelists
Nicole Oester Mapes
Geohazards Services Manager
Colorado Department of Transportation
Nicole leads the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) Geohazard Services team, leveraging over a decade of experience in emergency response, slope management design, construction coordination, and asset management. Dedicated to protecting critical infrastructure, she collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative, impactful geohazard management solutions throughout Colorado. When not responding to the latest geohazard emergency, you can find Nicole exploring local playgrounds with her daughter or at the pottery studio.
Martin Woodard, PhD, PG, PE
Senior Engineer & Geologist
APS GEO
Dr. Woodard is a professional engineer and engineering geologist for APSGeo and GeoSpecialties whose experience includes investigation, design, and implementation of remediation techniques for unstable soil and rock slopes. He has significant experience in rock slope stability, rock slope rating systems, subsurface geology and geotechnical interpretation, landslide investigations, foundation analysis, and geologic reconnaissance. His expertise is in rock mass characterization, rock slope engineering and rock mechanics. Marty has a B.A in Geology from the State University of New York at Potsdam College, M.S. in Environmental and Engineering Geosciences from Radford University (Virginia), and a Ph.D. in Engineering Geology from Kent State University in Ohio. He has authored the Rockfall Hazard Rating Matrix and Rock Slope Design Manual for the Ohio Department of Transportation and is on numerous national committees and organizations that involve geohazard professionals. He has worked throughout the United States, Canada, and South and Central America.
Brigid Lynch, PhD
Geomorphologist & Hydrologist
Balance Hydrologics (Berkeley, CA)
Brigid Lynch is a geomorphologist and hydrologist at Balance Hydrologics who integrates quantitative modeling, field science, and applied watershed restoration. She earned her Ph.D. in geomorphology and landscape evolution from Indiana University, where she coupled landscape evolution, hydrologic, and climate models to investigate channel incision and erosion. Her doctoral research also included leading field campaigns in southern Peru to collect river sediments used to quantify uplift in the Central Andes. At Balance, Dr. Lynch applies that analytical and field-based foundation to real-world projects focused on watershed restoration, long-term geomorphic monitoring, sediment source assessment, and hydrologic analysis across California. As GIS lead, she specializes in remote analysis, development of field-ready GIS tools, and translating complex data into clear, actionable insights for resilient watershed management.
Julia Howe, MS, PG, PE
Geotechnical Engineer
Black & Veatch (Denver, CO)
Julia is a licensed Professional Engineer and Professional Geologist based in Denver, Colorado. She started her professional career with a B.S. in Geology from Florida State University. During her junior year at FSU, she interned with a local geotechnical engineering firm, sparking an interest in engineering, and was inspired by the geology of the western U.S. during the FSU Field Camp in Taos, New Mexico. In pursuit of these interests, Julia moved to Salt Lake City where she earned an M.S. in Geological Engineering from the University of Utah.
After graduation, Julia worked on seismic hazard assessments for federal dams at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Denver, Colorado. In 2022, she transitioned to the private sector, where she currently works as a geotechnical engineering consultant within Black & Veatch's Heavy Civil group. Julia's work is diverse and includes site characterization and design, rehabilitation, and asset and risk management for large infrastructure projects, primarily dams and tunnels.
Sylvia Nicovich, PhD
Research Geologist (Mendenhall Fellow)
USGS – Earthquake Hazards Program (Denver, CO)
Sylvia Nicovich is a Mendenhall Research Fellow at the U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Hazards Science Center in Golden, CO studying how earthquakes interact with lake systems in the Intermountain West. Prior to her Mendenhall assignment, she conducted paleoseismologic investigations for seismic hazard analysis with the Bureau of Reclamation in Lakewood, CO. Sylvia earned a PhD in Geology from Montana State University in 2020 with a dissertation that focused on alluvial fan geomorphic and sedimentary records. She also holds BS and MS degrees from Cal Poly Humboldt, where she studied active faults in the northern California fold and thrust belt.
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