EDUCATING STUDENTS FOR A CAREER IN APPLIED GEOLOGY

Identifying the most appropriate educational path for students preparing for a career in geological sciences is a subject that has been debated for decades. Undergraduate and graduate courses offered and recommended by educational leaders reflect an institution’s philosophical perspective on how best to track students for a career in research, teaching, government service, consulting, or industry. Each career path requires its own specialization. However, it is the perspective of the author, following 36 years as a field-oriented, business-minded mineral exploration geologist, that field work is the foundation on which most geologic understanding is based. From this applied perspective, it is critical that students seeking a career in applied geology: acquire proficiency in field techniques; experience observing rocks in various field conditions; learn to assemble surface and subsurface information into a cogent geologic story; and communicate that information successfully to end users. Skills important to a prospective employer include, but are not limited to: identification of rocks, structures, alteration, and weathering characteristics in the field; placement of geologic information in correct geographic space; rendering of geologic data in digital space and databases; formulation and interpretation of cross sections (understanding geology in 3D space); sample collection for various purposes (age dates, fluid inclusions, whole rock analyses, assay, etc); synthesis of large datasets; and effective communication of information to end users. International work often requires additional cultural and language skills.

Prospective employers commonly provide opportunities for interns and new employees, complete with on-site training, but generally view the skills listed above as basic, essential, and the responsibility of universities. Students and industry are both successful when recruits are familiar with field techniques, comfortable in the field, able to work safely on their own, and are prepared for a rigorous field schedule. Field work offers the additional benefit of preparing all students to understand the limitations of geologic field observations regardless of their future career path and thereby, also better preparing them to critically assess data from other fields.