Scientific careers build on more than published articles. Young scientists often face questions that cannot be answered from a textbook. How do I achieve a good work-life balance? Should I move to this new job? How do I decide which projects to work on?

In this session, a successful scientist with many years of experience will give a look back to give a personal perspective of her career. We will discuss how decisions subsequently affected her career, and what problems she had to face.

This year we invited Heather Viles, Professor of Biogeomorphology and Heritage Conservation at the University of Oxford. Heather is a geographer by training and has crossed several disciplinary boundaries throughout her career. Her account of her life and work will be fascinating window in how a master scientist works.