Megan Metcalfe

"If I'm honest, when I first saw my personality types I wasn't sure whether they were right! But, having read the descriptions, I think they actually fit me and my job quite well. Particularly the Campaigner and Communicator. When I lead people on a project, it's really important to communicate clearly, so that everyone understands what their roles are. An important part of communicating is also being a good listener so that everyone can feel as though their ideas are being heard. If you don't do this then you won't work as well as a team, which can make people less motivated and can impact team moral.The Explorer fits my role well too- particularly solving problems and puzzles. When looking at geophysical data, you often have clues about what features are (Is it ferrous? Is it made of a hard material?), but not always anything definitive. Part of my job is putting together these clues to try and work out what a feature is. "

"I work as a marine geophysicist for an archaeology company. What this means is that I use geophysical data to find features of archaeological interest on, and below, the seabed. This can be things such as shipwrecks and plane wrecks, but it can also include entire landscapes that may have once been home to humans many thousands of years ago! Once we've identified the features, we can map them out and recommend further steps (such as putting in archaeological exclusion zones or doing a diver survey) to make sure the features aren't damaged by any offshore construction such as laying pipelines or offshore windfarms.One of the things I enjoy most about the job is the feeling of discovery- you can discover things that may have been hidden below the sea for hundreds or thousands of years. All of these discoveries may help us learn more about our distant ancestors and what the world they were living in at the time might have been like.The salary for a marine geophysicist can very depending on what sector you work in, and whether you want to be office based or work offshore. A starting salary could range anywhere from £22,000 to £28,000."

"I won't lie- I didn't always know I wanted to be a geophysicist. Up until university, I had no idea that such a career even existed! But what I have always enjoyed is nature and the physical environment. So, when choosing A-Levels, I chose subjects related to that (Geography and Environmental Science). For me, choosing a scientific subject provided a way for me to look at the environment from a new angle.I went on to study Environmental Sciences at university. As part of my degree I had a year in industry. For this, I worked at a volcano observatory in Mexico. Whilst there, I focused on researching how seismic signals can be used to predict volcanic activity. If you have an opportunity to get any industry/work experience then I highly recommend it!After graduating, I got a job working offshore on survey vessels looking for geohazards (such as large objects on the seabed, or sub-surface fault lines or shallow gas). I worked offshore for nearly 5 years and, while I enjoyed the adventure, I was less fond of the occasional storms and the long periods away from family and friends. So, in 2016, I moved to my current role working in archaeology."

"In my spare time I love going to the sea! I grew up by the sea, and have spent my career working with the sea. I find that a trip to the sea will always clear my mind and give me a perspective check if ever I'm feeling at all stressed or worried. I also have an allotment which I enjoy digging and planting up. Although, if you could see my collection of misshapen vegetables, you will realise I'm a much better geophysicist than I am a gardener..."

"My day can really vary depending on what stage of a project I'm at. At the beginning of a project I might be setting it all up, checking the data quality and briefing the team on their jobs. Next, we have to look at and interpret the data. The areas we look at are huge- hundreds of square kilometres! We have to look at all the different datasets acquired (sidescan sonar, marine magnetometer, multibeam echosounder and sub-bottom profiler) to try and identify any features of possible archaeological interest. Sometimes we have other information to combine (such as geotechnical logs or diver surveys). As you can imagine, it can take weeks or even months to process and interpret all the data.If the interpretation has been completed, then I might be checking what the other members of the team have interpreted (quality control) or writing up the results in a client report. I also have to make recommendations to the client to help them avoid damaging any features of archaeological interest (for example, putting an archaeological exclusion zone around a shipwreck to make sure it's not damaged during the construction of a windfarm).Generally our data comes in from large survey companies; however, we occasionally have to acquire the data ourselves. If this is the case, my day will be spent offshore on a survey vessel, deploying equipment and checking all the data as it comes in to make sure it's fit for purpose. The days can be long, but it is exciting being out at sea!"

"I did A-levels in: -Geography; -Environmental Science;-Performance Science; and-Sociology. After that I went to University and studied Environmental Science with a Year in Industry. I got my first job working offshore straight after graduation."