Department of Geosciences
"Field work is central to each student’s education. We have active research programs in China, Pakistan, Brazil, Alaska, Montana, California, Siberia, and Yellowstone National Park."
- Geosciences is comprised of three major themes:
- Climate, Water, and the Environment
- Evolution and Earth’s History
- Energy and Mineral Resources
- We use Earth’s history, environment, and physical processes to teach creative and critical thinking and to develop an understanding of Earth Systems as a basis for rational societal action. We foster scientifically literate, broadly educated students with quantitative skills who understand subtle connections between disciplines in an environmentally stressed world. We develop new knowledge in the geosciences and transmit that knowledge to students, the public, and the broad scientific community via our teaching and writing.
- We enjoy an exceptionally interesting and varied geologic and environmental setting. Because the solution to most geologic problems involves a combination of field and laboratory study, a wide range of field and laboratory courses are offered at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels. The greatest departmental activities are in environmental geochemistry; glaciology and climate change, basin analysis; hydrogeology; regional and environmental geophysics; paleoecology and reef sedimentation; sedimentation and paleoclimate; tectonics and the evolution of mountain belts and continents.
Undergraduate Student John Henry Dye
John Henry Dye
Hometown: Eustis, Florida
Research mentor/advisor: Julie Baldwin
Topic of research: Metamorphism of pelitic schists of the Skalkaho region, Montana
John's an active undergrad participant in the Geosciences Department, undertaking an interesting senior thesis with Dr. Baldwin on metamorphic rocks in the Skalkaho region. As a testament to his dedication, John spent two months this summer living out of a camper down near Hamilton while trudging around scree slopes in search of interesting metamorphic rocks!
Undergraduate Student Paul Garvey
Paul Garvey
Hometown: Wheaton, IL
Advisor: Steve Sheriff and Marc Hendrix in Geosciences
Topic of Research: Paul is the lead organizer of our undergraduate research conference, Geodays, and and is advised by Drs. Sheriff and Hendrix. He is also doing some undergraduate research with Garon Smith in Chemistry.
Very responsible and energetic student with wide interests and good focus on the future.
Graduate Student Solmaz Mohadjer
Solmaz Mohadjer
Hometown: Missoula, MT
Advisor: Rebecca Bendick
Topic: Seismic hazard and crustal strain in SW Asia
Solmaz is a native of Iran, a country with major seismic hazard from both mapped and unmapped, unknown faults. She is interested in using geodesy to identify previously unidentified regions of high strain that have great risk of catastrophic earthquakes.
Graduate Student Joseph (José) Garcia
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Research mentor/advisor: George Stanley
Topic of research: "Testing ideas of coloration of ancient organisms from an artist's perspective"
José is a non-traditional student doing a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies. He has an interesting blend of art and geology. He is an outstanding artist interested in paleontology.
