A Professional Geologist (PG) and Owner of JMR GeoSolutions, LLC (JMR) a small geological consulting business that helps companies by taking time and care to help clients complete unique project goals. JMR specializes in the areas of field work, sampling, mapping, reporting, and data management. Her clientele includes companies in the environmental realm and the exploration and mining sector. Ms. Rowley’s career began shortly after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in geology from Illinois State University, a field she chose due to an innate desire to understand natural processes. Before starting her own consulting business, Ms. Rowley spent many years as a geologist working for various companies and projects in Alaska and Canada.
She participated in exploration projects for coal, lead, zinc and gold which took her to remote areas of the world, working in teams of 2 to 30 geologists by day or by night. Given her love of nature and an insatiable curiosity, Ms. Rowley was drawn to work in the environmental sector. During her career, she has worked under the titles of field geologist, project geologist, professional geologist, project manager, and CEO, to accomplish the objectives of private clients, federal and state agencies, and first nations. Different projects presented different opportunities including field work (rigside logging and sampling for lithological, geotechnical, and geochemical purposes, ground truthing public and private land by foot to assess and determine access, surveying and mapping, taking field notes and observations, and collecting and photographing hand samples), environmental work(collecting surface, groundwater, soil and rock samples participating in flora and fauna baseline studies, and implementing mitigation strategies), management (of drill crews, third-party environmental consultants, and community and aboriginal engagement teams), administrative work (writing technical reports and work plans, organizing historical reports, analyzing project data, creating cross sections and stratigraphic columns, producing visual graphics, making interpretations and planning drill hole locations, and writing and submitting technical reports and permits), and last but not least community engagement (producing pamphlets and flyers, and organizing and facilitating open houses).
Her untraditional path as a geologist has gifted her with a well-rounded perspective and understanding of industry as a piece of a larger picture for land use and management, and the importance of implementing sustainable practices and working with people and companies who have strong core values to preserve and protect the natural world for future generations. She firmly believes in a system of checks and balances, and the necessity for government and private industry to hold each other accountable. Through the course of her career, Ms. Rowley was fortunate to have crossed paths with many inspiring, driven and accomplished individuals which have taught her valuable lessons along the way. These colleagues and mentors became a part of her inner network and provide her with a strong foundation of support which encouraged her to start her own business. She remains constantly humbled and grateful for her experience and would love to continue to grow her business with the guidance from a mentor from the Million Women Mentor’s Program to enable her to uplift and support other women in the STEM industry to achieve success in the future. Being an active outdoor enthusiast, and someone who values work-life balance, if she is not working in the office or the field, Ms. Rowley is spending time in the backcountry on trails either running, mountain biking, skiing or rock climbing. Since she spends a majority of her professional and personal free time out of cell phone range, her preferred method of contact is by email.
