When Mount St. Helens in Washington state erupted in May 1980, Susan Sakimoto, then a seventh grade student in northern Idaho, rowed with her brother about one kilometer out onto Lake Pend Oreille for a better view of the oncoming volcanic cloud. Soon, a black wall coming from the western horizon started to rain mostly ash, though with some rocks. Look, the whole mountain is coming down on top of us. Isn't this cool! she told her concerned brother. Sakimoto, now an associate research scientist in the geodynamics branch of the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, recalled that experience of witnessing a geological activity close-up as an early career turning point that helped to convince her to enter the geosciences. She and other scientists shared their experiences and advice with students during the day-long Geo Forumc Grand Experiences and Opportunities in the Geosciences, held at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. on 30 March.