we4DRR members in focus: Margreth Keiler
On May 10th the first webinar of the new series "we4DRR: members in focus" was held via zoom. Margreth Keiler talked about her career, her current projects and gave insights on work, managing tasks, life and networking.
Margreth Keiler has 18 years of academic experience and worked in different places such as Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Vienna and is located in Innsbruck since 2021. Currently Margreth is professor for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research at the University of Innsbruck at the Department of Geography and Director of the Institute of Interdisciplinary Mountain Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
Word rap
- As a child Margreth wanted to become a detective and investigate - fittingly she became a "detecitve" in the field of natural hazards.
- On her office table the 3 most important things are: coffee, water and her computer.
- Margreth loves to start her workday with good weather and a walk to the office through Innsbruck's botanical garden.
- She enjoys free time in the woods or with a walk up to Nordkette.
- Her secret to success is: If you fail get up and get on.
Research is her passion
Margreth is very curious and fascinated by natural harzards. During the webinar she emphasised that research is very time consuming but also very rewarding and fascinating. She wants to understand the root causes of increasing risk and regional differences by research. Research is Margreht's passion, though in her current position she is also obliged with a lot of administrative work and management.
To tackle her weekly workload she structures her days and devotes different weekdays to different tasks - for example teaching and editorial work. She tries to edit her e-mails for two hours each day and often uses the evenings, where she is especially focused to work on important topics.
Facing obstacles
During her career, Margreth also faced resentments. In these situations gender training, positive framing and support in stating boundaries helped her overcoming these. However she also advises not to dwell on these issues for too long and if necessary to look for other possibilities and move on. Networks also play a role in Margreth's work life, she uses formal and informal networks to meet new people, exchange ideas and get input for her own work.
Having an aim
Margreth is very busy and spends a lot of time working, however this is her passion. "If you love what you do, long work hours are not a burden." She advises to always have an aim, be focused and act accordingly - if necessary you can always revise, change and adapt.