This quarter’s I-GUIDE Ascender, Michael Englert, completed his graduate degree earlier this year, working with his academic advisor Dr. Courtney Flint who contributes to I-GUIDE’s work on aging dams.
What at is your current position and institutional affiliation?
I am a just-graduated Master’s student from Utah State University with a degree in Environment and Society.
What was your role in I-GUIDE?
I was one of the graduate researchers working on the downstream vulnerabilities of dams. [A copy of Michael’s thesis, Using a Social-Ecological-Technological Systems Approach for Assessing Vulnerabilities Downstream of Dams, is available at the USU Digital Commons site.]
Did you start your academic career with the same goals and direction as you have now? If not, tell us a little about how and why your direction has changed?
No, I started my academic career looking forward to securing a job with an engineering firm or agency that focused on GIS related work. Now my focus is on starting my own business, where I bring my skills to my own work and be rewarded for my knowledge and experience. The emphasis on my “own work” stems from the research work experience in I-GUIDE and while at Utah State. It shifted more recently as I explored different career paths, and I noticed there weren’t many opportunities to apply my skill set. Whatever one’s opinions may be, there is a significant challenge in getting started with a professional career made by people not vacating higher positions within institutions and allowing fresh, young personnel to build up the ranks. I’m also looking for more independence in my career path, being able to work on my own terms and getting the full payout, so to speak, for the skills I bring to the table. Being paid for my skills and not my time is important to me, as I don’t enjoy wasting my time sitting in a cubicle counting down the minutes to a full paycheck.
What inspires you and motivates you to do the work that you do?
I wand to be able to earn a living where I am in control of what I do in my life. [My work will continue to be] GIS-focused specifically on emergency preparedness and hazard/risk assessment. I believe that in the coming years, there is going to be a big focus on mitigating the hazards associated with dams, flooding, and other major/minor disasters that require some prior planning to minimize loss of life and property.
Do/did you have a Plan B? What do you think you’d be doing if you hadn’t chosen an academic career?
Yes, I would more than likely go back into construction or go to a trade school and enter the trades, where there are better opportunities than what is currently available with a college degree. Whether be as an electrician, machinist, or heavy equipment operator; those jobs are in demand and pay much better than even what I could make with my current masters degree.
What is the next chapter (aspirational or planned) in your career?
Start my own business, have a family, and live life to the fullest.
What would you like to be when you grow up?
A small business owner that gets to work from home, occasionally travel for work, raise my family from home, explore the natural world, and live a fulfilling life.