GEOINFORMATICS: A GEOTECHNICAL DEGREE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Data manipulation is crucial to geologic research. The more effective a geologist is at manipulating data, the faster and more accurate his or her results will be. As more geologic data are generated and stored on computers, there is a greater need for individuals who can properly store, access, and calculate that data. More importantly, those persons must be able to understand the data they are manipulating. Oil companies, engineering firms, urban planners, and public utilities all seek employees who can combine technical knowledge with a fundamental understanding of geosciences. As the computer industry becomes more specialized, creating an undergraduate degree that forms a strong foundation in both geology and computer science will produce graduates that will be more desirable in the 21st century. By using Baylor University’s Bioinformatics degree plan as a model, a new sample multidisciplinary program was created. The new program joined the fundamental classes required for a Computer Science major to that of a Geology major. The result is a degree plan that allows graduating seniors to pursue a career in geology, computer science, or geoinformatics—a field that combines the two. Most current undergraduate curriculum plans give computer science students the opportunity for a brief introduction to geosciences. Reciprocally, many geology students are taught geographic information systems (GIS), but are not taught computer programming fundamentals or database design (both of which are currently being used in geologic research). By combining the two disciplines, students will make themselves better qualified for geotechnical jobs and find themselves in higher demand. Geology departments will also grow because they will now have students who otherwise would probably not have continued involvement in the geology discipline. As more computer scientists become stronger in geosciences, more software will be designed to handle geologic problems, leading to a growth in research that will benefit the entire geologic community.