Earth and Planetary Sciences Ph.D. student wins first place at National Elevator Pitch competition: UNM Newsroom

Olumide Adedeji, a Ph.D candidate within the Earth and Plantary Science Department at the University of New Mexico (UNM), completed a exceptional milestone through securing the first-place prize at the National Elevator Pitch Competition, arranged through the Houston Geological Society (HGS). The annual tournament, in collaboration with outstanding power corporations, is a pivotal platform for the intersection of trade and academia.

HGS, a central hub for geoscience aficionados in Houston, champions training, specialised committees, and affiliations with famend organizations such because the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Geophysical Society of Houston, and Society for Independent Professional Explorationists. The tournament showcased over 100 scholars, who had been tasked with making a compelling 2-minute video encapsulating their analysis, accomplishments, and graduate adventure.

Chevron, a number one participant within the power trade, subsidized this yr’s festival, additional raising the status of the development. The problem used to be to craft an elevator pitch, encapsulating one’s analysis adventure and accomplishments. Creativity and private anecdotes performed the most important roles on this high-stakes festival.

Adedeji, pushed through the need to reply to the vintage interview query “Tell me about yourself”, artfully weaved his intensive three-year analysis adventure at UNM into a fascinating narrative. He showcased his instrumental paintings throughout a 40-day marine expedition off Vancouver and southeastern Alaska’s coast, detailing the rigorous means of amassing pioneering marine mirrored image seismic knowledge and next meticulous knowledge processing and interpretation.

Throughout the video, Adedeji emphasised the priceless talents he has honed, together with efficient conversation, collaboration, and technical experience in marine operations. He underscored that his groundbreaking findings introduced at global meetings has led his appointment as the worldwide graduate student consultant at the American Geophysical Union’s Tectonophysics world govt committee. He additionally had the distinction of receiving the Zancada Research Excellence Award from UNM’s Office of the Vice President for Research place of business previous this yr.

Adedeji’s eloquent pitch culminated through highlighting how his talents, accolades, and stories place him as a treasured asset to any trade participant. He took house the $250 most sensible prize award. Watch Adedeji’s elevator pitch here.

In acknowledging the toughen of Chevron and the popularity from HGS, Adedeji expressed his deep gratitude and shared his pleasure for the adventure forward.

“Receiving the first-place award is not just an accolade; it’s a deeply emotional validation of the countless hours, relentless dedication, and the heart and soul I’ve poured into my research and studies. Every late night, every challenge faced, and every moment of doubt feels worth it. This award is a beacon, illuminating the path I’ve chosen in geoscience, and it fills me with an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude,” expressed Adedeji.  “The award from such a prestigious competition is a reminder that passion, perseverance, and the pursuit of knowledge can truly make a difference. It’s not just about the technicalities of my work; it’s about the stories, the journeys, and the lives touched by the science we do.”

Olumide Adedeji at the Research Vessel Marcus G. Langseth

His analysis makes a speciality of learning crustal scale deformation alongside the Queen Charlotte Fault, losing gentle on seismic actions affecting the coast of western Canada and southeastern Alaska. His paintings has been groundbreaking, revealing the most important insights into crustal deformation on this enigmatic fault gadget. He has had the privilege to give those findings at famend meetings, together with the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the Seismological Facility for the Advancement of Geoscience (SAGE) conferences.

Adedeji additionally has been running in collaboration with Dr. Brandon Schmandt, the place he has ventured into the charming global of seismoacoustics. With the help of hundreds of seismometers of other forms and array-based processing algorithms they’ve been in a position to carry praise the discrimination of low-yield (small) explosions and low magnitude earthquakes using the detection of ground-coupled airwaves. In essence, Adedeji’s analysis essentially revolves round working out and deciphering seismic knowledge and geological options. He is hooked in to each knowledge assortment and the appliance of complicated processing ways, which in combination supply profound insights into geological and seismological phenomena.

“The University of New Mexico (UNM) has been a cornerstone in shaping my professional journey. The Seismo Lab, under the guidance of Lindsay Worthington and Brandon Schmandt, has fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration that has profoundly influenced my research approach. Working alongside two co-advisors on distinct projects has allowed me to delve into groundbreaking research topics in seismology, tectonophysics, and seismo-acoustics, making notable contributions to these fields,” stated Adedeji, “The entire EPS (Earth and Planetary Sciences) team at UNM, from the diligent front office staff handling administrative tasks to the dedicated research faculty, has played a crucial role in making my graduate school experience enriching.”