EVOLUTION OF AN EARTH SCIENCE PROGRAM IN RESPONSE TO STUDENT INTERESTS AND COMMUNITY NEEDS

Since 2000, the geoscience program at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, Wyoming, has grown from two traditional geology courses with no majors, to a program in Earth and Environmental Science (EES), including more than eight courses, with several majors each year. The Wyoming economy depends on the vast wealth of energy resources in the state, and an applied program (Environment, Health and Safety-EHS) was developed last year by request and with support from the energy industry. The EHS program includes science and technology courses leading to certification as an environmental technician. In response to community need for a well-trained energy work force, our students are being trained for responsible exploration and extraction of resources, as well as mitigation of environmental concerns related to this industry. This year, we will be combining our EES program with choices from the EHS program, and adding a few new courses, to create a new transfer program: Earth, Energy and Environment. This new program will be a good fit for transfer to the University of Wyoming’s new School of Energy Resources.

Adding energy industry training to a traditional geoscience curriculum, the new Earth, Energy and Environment (EEE) program will consist of a core of courses coupled with program electives related to each of the following three tracks: traditional geology, energy science and environmental geology. The core courses include required general studies courses (including economics), introductory-level geology, chemistry, mathematics, and Earth system science. The traditional geology track will require two new sophomore-level courses (Mineralogy/ Petrology and Geophysics), as well as field safety courses from the EHS program. The energy science track will require physics, engineering and field safety courses. The environmental geology track will require environmental geology at the introductory level, and a selection of environmental science courses from the EHS program. Other program credits toward graduation may be earned by selecting courses from the other sciences, mathematics, geography, or management as determined by meeting with an appropriate advisor. We hope that this new, tracked program offering will give our students flexibility and the start to a successful career in geosciences.