#SoCaltech: Claire Bucholz

“A lot of students come to me who are interested in doing some sort of field-based project and also interested in igneous rocks. So that's one way that I interact with students: where I'm actually out in the field and we're looking at rocks together, and it's a very different experience than sitting at a desk together and looking at a computer. It's much more interactive. You're problem-solving together, literally on-the-ground problem-solving where you're looking at a rock, and then you say, ‘OK, well, this rock looks like this. Where should we go next?’ And you get out the map or get out the compass and whatnot. So that's a very different experience and a very different way to mentor, which is one of my favorite parts of the job.”

Claire E. Bucholz is an assistant professor of geology and a 2021 Biedebach Memorial Lecturer.

#SoCaltech is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to magazine@caltech.edu.