Charlene majored in geology at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. After working a few years, she went to graduate school at California State University in Chico, where in 2006 she earned a master's in geoscience with a focus on hydrogeology. Recently, she spoke with Under the Microscope about her path to geoscience and her role with the Association for Women Geoscientists.

Under the Microscope: What do you do at the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality?

Charlene Sundermann: I am a ground-water geologist, and I primarily work on projects that deal with remediating soils in ground water, essentially cleaning them up. These are more of your industrial-type contaminated sites. Some of them have made it onto the national priorities list. And some of them haven’t quite made it onto that list but they still need to get cleaned up.

UTM: What has been your favorite project to work on thus far?

CS: I’m the coordinator for two programs that are funded by EPA, and these particular programs pay for the first initial environmental site assessment for communities that want to redevelop their, say, downtown areas. And [I like] being able to go into these small towns where there are 1,000 people or less. You talk to them and say, “You know, I can really help you out with the redevelopment of this corner property.” Banks generally like to see these kinds of assessments done before they lend to potential purchasers or buyers, and this helps to clear that particular property so it no longer lays vacant. And that really makes me feel like I’m helping out the small communities. I grew up in a town of about 1,000 people. And I know what it’s like when you go back and you see it stay stagnant. 

UTM: Why did you choose the schools you attended?

CS: I chose the University of Northern Iowa because it was one of the state universities, and it seemed to fit me best as far as my personality. It’s a little bit smaller. ... When I was looking at grad schools, I applied to quite a number of them, but I chose California State University in Chico mainly because I had the opportunity to meet with department and the department head, and I got to take a tour of the place. ... Via email I got to know my future advisor. I think that being able to get along with the people very well ... really goes a long way. And it’s also an area where I had family, and that helped with the transition of moving out to California.

UTM: What has been your experience as a woman in geoscience?

CS: When I went to classes I had 50 percent female and 50 percent male [classmates]. I had excellent professors who never once made me feel like, “Oh, girls can’t understand science,” nor did I ever have anyone in grade school or high school that said that girls don’t understand math. Now, that doesn’t take away from the fact that there have been other people within my age group that have experienced that. But as far as my experience, I’ve had wonderful supervisors who have been supportive. But at the same time I do recognize that it would be difficult if I were married or started to have kids and I could see how having a family would be a little bit more challenging. 

UTM: How do you think women scientists benefit from women-only science organizations, like the Association of Women Geoscientists?

CS: Well this isn’t a women-only group. We have a lot of different males that are members. In fact there is a male that serves on our board, and there have been in the past. ... It’s just the programs we support help women in their careers. So we certainly encourage men to join, and a lot of men do. They’ve either got wives, mothers, sisters [or] daughters who become geoscientists, and this just a way for them to provide support.

UTM: How did you become involved with the AWG?

CS: I belong to this organization because a friend purchased my student membership when I was in graduate school. And then I used some of the programs they had to help enhance one’s career. We have this program called “Geologists in the Park,” and I was able to go to a national park and perform some geological studies, and I was able to get a small stipend for it during the summer time. And being able to put that on a resume before I graduated graduate school ... really helped enhance my career.

UTM: How do you juggle your presidency of AWG and your work with NDEQ?

CS: Luckily, in the beginning, when I told my supervisor I was going to be taking the leadership role in the Association for Women Geoscientists, they were very supportive and they realized there would be some time I’d need to take time off. ... But unfortunately, as most other states, we are starting to get into a budget crunch ... across the board. My supervisor is feeling the pinch as well as my supervisor’s supervisor. It’s a bit of an unfortunate thing, but they are incredibly supportive. ... And they recognize that having someone in this leadership role of a national organization can only help their department in the way it can function, the way it can bring in new people.

I can’t speak enough of this organization and what it’s done for me, my self confidence, my ability to get over my fears and take on a leadership role. The people that I’ve met have not only been mentors in different capacities but they’ve also been my friends. So this is one of those organizations, like many, that anyone can get into, and you’re gonna get out of it as much as you want to put into it, and I continue to get so much out of it that I want to continue to give back to it as much it has given to me. 

Photo courtesy of Charlene Sundermann. 

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