Atmospheric chemist

Dr Katja Riedel of NIWA explains how she became an atmospheric chemist and why she is so enthusiastic about her career.

Transcript

DR KATJA RIEDEL When I’m thinking about how I came to study chemistry, it probably has a lot to do with my chemistry teacher. He was very good and he kind of sparked in me the interest and also with biology. And then I tried to make up my mind, and in the end I studied chemistry because I didn’t want to do animal experiments, and chemistry was interesting enough, so that is how I came to chemistry.

And atmospheric chemistry is a very nice clean way and also you get lots of exciting places to go.

The aspects I enjoy most in my work is probably doing field work it is really going out getting the samples, getting dirty, getting wet, getting cold. Sounds not very interesting, but it’s so much more adventurous.

Acknowledgement: Cath Samson