Calendar
Monday
- 8.30
- Get into work. Check email and phone messages.
- 8.35
- Go get a cup of tea to recover from the shock of all the email I have to deal with.
- 8.45
- Read news on web, and check earthquakes in California.
- 9.00 – 13.00
- Respond to email.
- 13.00- 14.00
- Eat lunch while reviewing draft of paper sent by Lamont student (Mike West).
- 14.00-16.30
- Finish reading paper, continue replying to email, which includes preparing proposal budgets, discussing cruise preparations and planning travel. Do brief research into tsunami risk assessment studies in southern California for NSF proposal I am working on with colleague at UCLA.
- 16.30 – 18.00
- Take land-lady’s dog and self for a run. Phew.
- 18.00-20.40
- Work on responding to emails, specifically draft comments on Mike’s paper.
- 20.50 – 22.30
- Go home, cook dinner while watching Ally McBeal and News.
- 22.30-00:30
- Work on emails. Read Harry Potter to get to sleep.
Tuesday
- 8.30
- Get into work. Check email, phone, news and earthquakes.
- 8.45
- Respond to emails. Email primarily regarding on going proposal text preparation, and budget details.
- 10.00
- More background research for a different NSF proposal.
- 11.30
- Prepare travel receipts from trip last week.
- 12.00
- Lunch while reviewing proposal sent by DTRA (Defense Threat Reduction Agency).
- 13.00
- Respond to Emails. Discussion of future publications from a project with colleagues at Lamont. Work with Columbia on press release for paper that has just been published.
- 14.00
- Work on proposal details.
- 15.00
- Finalize proposal budget. Send to Contracts and Grants Office for comments.
- 15.30
- Continue reviewing DTRA proposal.
- 16.00
- Attend department seminar.
- 17.00
- Begin draft of proposal review.
- 19.00
- Evening acting class.
- 22.45
- Get home, Eat dinner.
Wednesday
- 9.30
- Get into work. Check email, phone, news and earthquakes.
- 9.45
- Respond to email. Includes discussion of graduate student admissions at Lamont.
- 10.30
- Fill out various online paper work for NSF proposal submission.
- 11.00
- Conference call with colleagues at Woods Hole and NOAA to discuss research on Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydroacoustic monitoring.
- 12.00
- Take dog and self for a run. Lunch at home.
- 13.30
- Respond to email. Includes making comments on draft documents for RIDGE 2000 program.
- 14.30
- Plan travel on the web to meeting next month. Book tickets.
- 15.00
- Talk with student regarding on-going research project.
- 16.00
- Work on proposal text. Send proposal to colleagues for comments in the A.M.
- 17.30
- Hour of research on seismic event locations for paper in preparation.
- 19.00
- Dinner and a movie. Trying to see main Oscar contenders before the ceremony.
- 22.00
- Back home – watch West Wing (taped).
Thursday
- 7.30
- Get into work. Check email, phone, news and earthquakes.
- 7.45
- Respond to email. More discussions of student admissions, proposal text, proposal budget iterations (Lamont contracts and grants always likes to change little details in your budget).
- 10.30
- Research for lunch meeting.
- 12.00
- Lunch meeting with production company to discuss possible science show.
- 13.30
- Finalize and send proposal review.
- 15.00
- Draft and send comments on student paper (Mike West’s). Start reviewing a different student paper. (by Del Bohnenstiehl).
- 16.30
- Phone call with colleague at Scripps to discuss research and plan trip to San Diego to finish writing paper.
- 17.00
- Go to gym.
- 19.00
- Return to office. Squeeze in an hour of research. Get necessary material together to work on writing my own paper while away. Organize files for trip tomorrow.
- 21.00
- Get home. Eat dinner and pack.
Friday
- 8.00
- Get into work. Check email and phone.
- 8.15
- Respond to emails briefly. Quick answers where I can. Where I can’t a note that I will be on the road and will get back to them as soon as possible.
- 10.00
- Print out last minute figures needed for tomorrow’s trip.
- 10.30
- Leave for airport.
- 11.00
- At airport. Work on email.
- 12.00
- Flight leaves – 5 hr flight. Read more of Del’s paper. Try and work on my own paper (and of course watch the movie).
- 20.00
- Arrive NY.
Maya Tolstoy
- Research Scientist
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University
More about Maya
- Profile
Maya's profile. - Interview
Read an interview with Maya. - Background
Get more info on Maya's background. - Picture Gallery
See images of Maya at work. - Learn More
Learn more about Maya's field - Maya's Calendar
See Maya's typical work week. - Related Links
Other sites related to Maya's career.
More Remarkable Careers
- Melanie Holland
- Faculty Research Associate, Microbial Ecology
Melanie Holland studies the microbes that thrive in scalding temperatures surrounding hydrothermal vents. These amazing organisms not only reveal important information about the vent communities, they may also provide insights into the origin of life on Earth and the possible existence of life on other planets.
- Dawn Wright
- Associate Scientist, Geography/Marine Geology
Master Lego-constructor and former bicycle-racer Dawn Wright has immersed herself in two disciplines. As a geologist, she is studying the cracks that form in the seafloor along the mid-ocean ridge. As a geographer, she is developing software that oceanographers are using to interpret seafloor data.
- Lauren Mullineaux
- Senior Scientist, Marine Biology
Lauren Mullineaux’s research group studies a side of benthic organisms (animals that live on the seafloor) that until recently has received little attention.
- Jo Griffith
- Principal Illustrator, Scientific and Oceanographic Data
Technical illustrator Jo Griffith hasn’t picked up a pen in over five years. Instead she uses a variety of computer programs to create graphs, maps, and illustrations for researchers.
- Emily Klein
- Professor of Geology, Geochemistry
Emily collects rocks from the deep seafloor. The chemicals that make up the rocks provide clues to how the oceanic crust is built.
- Wen-lu Zhu
- Associate Scientist, Geology and Geophysics
Wen-lu Zhu studies the properties of rocks found deep in the ocean crust by recreating those conditions in the laboratory.
- Ashanti Pyrtle
- Assistant Professor, Aquatic Science
Ashanti Pyrtle studies the fate of radioactive material that enters rivers, lakes, and oceans. She also advises minority science students on how to navigate through graduate school and prepare for a career afterwards.
- Debby Ramsey
- Third Engineer, Marine Crew
As Third Engineer onboard the Research Vessel Thomas G. Thompson, Debby Ramsey helps keep all of the equipment that has moving parts running smoothly.
- Rose Dufour
- Ship Scheduler and Clearance Officer, Ship Operations and Marine Technical Support
Rose Dufour and her job-share partner Elizabeth Brenner create the schedules for four research ships. The challenge is to keep the scientists, funding agencies, and foreign governments happy.
- Claudia Benitez-Nelson
- Assistant Professor, Chemical Oceanography
Claudia Benitez-Nelson uses radioactive isotopes to study the complex world of nutrient cycling in the oceans.
- Kathryn Kelly
- Professor (Affiliate), Physical Oceanography
Kathryn Kelly studies how changing ocean currents affect the climate. And she does all of her research from the comfort of her office.
- Amy Bower
- Associate Scientist, Physical Oceanography
Amy studies the interactions between ocean currents and climate. These interactions are very complex.
- Kathryn Gillis
- Professor, Earth and Ocean Sciences
Kathryn Gillis dives to rifts in the seafloor that are as deep as six kilometers to learn about the processes taking place within the ocean crust.
- Margaret Leinen
- Assistant Director for Geosciences
As a scientist, Margaret Leinen studied sediments that have accumulated on the ocean floor. Now as the Assistant Director of Geosciences at the National Science Foundation, she oversees programs in Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean, and Environmental Sciences. She is also working on initiatives to bring more women and minorities into these fields.