Alumni Profile: Jim Finegan
Degree:
PhD in Groundwater Hydrology 1996
Current Position: Senior Hydrogeologist with GeoLogic
Associates in San Bernadino, California.
Moving to Australia to further his studies at University of Melbourne
was a difficult but ultimately rewarding decision for Jim Finegan. The
alumnus completed a PhD at University of Melbourne in 1996 but he lists
the move as the most difficult decision of his professional career.
“Although I’m extremely happy with the decision, it’s
always hard to move 8000 miles from your whole life”, Jim says.
Now back in the United States, Jim works as a senior hydrogelogist for
Geo-Logic, a multi-disciplinary consulting geotechnical and environmental
firm. “I primarily manage projects having to do with groundwater
flow and contaminant transport in groundwater. This involves studying
the geology of site, monitoring groundwater and contaminant plumes,
contaminant plume investigations (assessments), and clean up at many
different types of sites, including landfills, storage tank sites, and
hazardous waste disposal sites,” he says.
“A typical day for me involves writing reports; researching technical
issues and fielding technical questions about hydrogeology and contaminants
from colleagues and clients. I do computer modeling and communicate
with multiple clients and regulators about projects. I also perform
field work now and then, although the more you advance the less field
work you do. Entry-level personnel perform most of the interesting field
work – I just have to figure out what the data means!”
‘I’m always learning new things, and there is always the
technical challenge of my job”, he reflects. “However, there’s
always an element of stress in pushing the limits of your abilities
and knowledge, particularly when other people are relying on you to
not only understand what you’re doing, but to also apply it to
practical issues on projects.”
When asked about his strongest memories of life in Melbourne, Jim recalls
a wintry beginning. “I remember my first day in Melbourne (my
birthday), having just spent two days on the Great Barrier Reef, flying
into Melbourne at the beginning of winter on a very cold, rainy day;
it was rather depressing. However, we quickly came to love the city
and the friendly people and soon thought of ourselves as Melbournians.
As an overseas student, I appreciated the acceptance and friendliness
of the Australian people.
I still often think of shopping at Victoria Market and wandering through
the Botanical Gardens and, of course, spending thousands of hours in
my school office. I also remember being one of two people in the Earth
Sciences building late one Sunday night during a heavy downpour, when
the roof leaked and turned the stairwell into a waterfall. We had to
turn off all electrical supply to the building, so I could no longer
work!”
Jim has also worked as a staff geologist for environmental consulting
firms and as an analyst at a commercial laboratory. “One of the
highlights of my career”, he says, “was to have potential
employers bidding against each other to hire me – it was a nice
position to be in! My advice to current students is that whatever you
do, try your hardest, and enjoy what you do. It’s easy to tell
who is really trying (and who isn’t); even if you are not the
best at something, the effort is always noticed.
