Shonny grew up in Cornwall, in a part of the UK famous for its mining history, surrounded by old mine shafts and rocky hills. Her mum was a maths teacher, and without even realising it, Shonny grew up looking at the world through the lens of maths and science.
A teacher at her school suggested she look into geology - the study of rocks, minerals and the Earth itself - and that conversation changed everything. Shonny studied geology at university and chose a course with strong links to real jobs in the industry. After graduating, she got her first job in Australia, which felt like winning a golden ticket, especially since she came from a family that didn’t have much money.
“Geology - and science in general - isn’t just about lab coats or staring at rocks with a hammer. It’s a huge field with countless different jobs.”
From there, Shonny’s career took her all over the world - Ghana, Zambia, the Australian outback, and finally Ireland, where she now lives with her husband and three children. She has done many different jobs in geology: studying rocks from a desk using computers, working out in remote locations, managing mine safety, and now running the operations of a major research centre.
Working in places where there were very few women wasn’t always easy. Shonny sometimes had to ask for basic things to be provided for female workers, and she faced people who doubted she belonged there. But she also found incredible mentors and built friendships that have lasted her whole career - proving that even in tough environments, you can find your people.