The Concordian

Deciding on a major can be hard and statistically almost every one of you will change your major at least once before you graduate. But before you take that leap of faith into the unknown of your next academic endeavor make sure you have all your facts. This is the first of many rare insights into the academic departments here at Concord. The major of the week: Geology. We sat down with Dr. Matchen and got a personal perspective on this very diverse field. Here’s what we came up with:

What is geology? - Science focused on the study of the Earth, it can take many forms and variations

What exactly does a geologist do? - Like most professions, a geologist specializes in the study and management of earth resources, some (like me) teach and make maps and evaluate mineral resources, others monitor and manage the clean up of landfills, explore and manage our water supplies, many work to find new mineral resources, oil and natural gas deposits, and develop new coal reserves.  Many are now involved in studying the history of Earth’s climate so that those modeling current climate systems have the best data to construct those models.  Most geologists work in offices with teams of people, requiring the usual set of skills necessary to work with and manage a skilled team of individuals.

What made you decide to become a geology professor? - I had worked as a mentor for summer undergraduate students with my previous employer, the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, I found those summers of field work with those students very rewarding.  I was completing my PhD at the time and decided to pursue opportunities in higher ED when the came along.  I had worked for the Survey for 13 years when I took this job and have been very happy since then.

How long have you been teaching geology? - This is my twelfth semester as a professor.

What is your favorite thing about geology? - Maps, I liked maps from a young age, and was always comfortable reading maps.  Most of my professional experience is associated with the construction and updating of geologic maps for the West Virginia.  It’s a field that almost requires some travel; I’ve gotten to see much of the country under the guise of geological field trips.  In addition, Geology is the liberal-arts science; it requires knowledge of chemistry, physics, biology, and geography.  Geologists often work in the borders between sciences and you often have the opportunity to invent your own specialties.  In the last twenty years, geophysics, historical climatology, geobiochemistry, geoarcheology, paleobiology, and planetary geology have become important subspecialties.  Unlike many sciences, you can often choose a different career path than your educational specialty.  For instance, you can study Vertebrate Paleontology (dinosaurs and the like) in Antarctica for your Masters Degree and then go to work managing groundwater resources.  That freedom to move about the science is often specific to geology; the other sciences have much more settled career paths.

What kind of jobs can you obtain with a bachelors degree in geology? - Current alumni of CU Geosciences work for a variety of firms and government agencies as geologists and geo-technicians.  Employers include Marshall Miller, Halliburton, Schlumberger, and a variety of state, national, and government agencies.  As with much of the job market, jobs are not as easy to come by as they were a few years ago.  The critical issue with geology is your willingness to move for work.  There is a great deal of work available, but you may have to move to find it.  Many jobs are with Engineering or Consulting Firms, who often contract to manage Environmental Impact Studies, be prepared to write reports, lots of reports.  So make sure your writing skills are also ready, they are as important as your math skills.

How tough is it to obtain a geology degree compared to other natural sciences? - Like all sciences we strongly recommend a year of Physics and a year of Calculus, you can graduate without those, but you job prospects won’t be as good.  Its as tough as any other program, there is a bit of travel, you graduate from CU you must complete a six-credit, 5-week field course that requires travel to Colorado.  It’s an exciting course and fun to teach, but that five weeks can be difficult both physically and mentally.

How will getting a graduate degree in geology expand my options? - The M.S. in Geology, generally a two-year program at most universities, is the real working degree in geology.  With an M.S. in Geology your options expand into management, you will find yourself managing projects as opposed to working on specific tasks.  An interesting track for the B.S. holder is an MBA; many of my friends have moved from a B.S. into an MBA and are project managers.  Geology is a business and an understanding of the business world is an excellent specialization for geologists.

Why is geology a good choice for students who are undecided about their major? - We have five 300-level or higher classes to complete for the CU Geosciences degree.  As long as you have sufficient Math and Chemistry you can complete a geology degree relatively quickly, we have a program that allows for some flexibility, if you come and talk to Dr. Allen or myself we will help you craft a degree to fit your interests, but you still need that math and chemistry.

When did you become interested in geology? - I went to college knowing I was going to study some form of science, I tried biology and chemistry, but neither really worked for me, and required lab skills that I wasn’t really interested in acquiring.  I took a couple of geology classes, went on a few field trips and found my major.

What are some other areas that geologists are interested in? Geologists are a rather diverse lot and have interests that range as widely as any group of people.  The interests of the employer often dictate professional interests; hobbies and other interests will vary with any large group of people.

How do I know if geology is right for me? - I’m not sure how to answer this question, it varies from one individual to the next, but if your interests don’t seem to fit a standard career path geology might be for you.

Do you have to obtain good math skills to earn a degree in geology? - As with all sciences, math is a serious advantage, don’t be afraid of the math

Do geologists have high salaries? - It varies widely, petroleum engineers and geophysicists commonly command the highest salaries in the fields, and generally an M.S. will command higher salaries than a B.S.  In general, the more math and physics you have to supplement your B.S., the higher your likely salary.  More importantly, professional geologists often report a high level of job satisfaction.  I didn’t command a very high salary working for the West Virginia Geological Survey, but I had a budget to travel around the state, and spent a majority of every summer making maps in Pendleton County.  In other words, the perks were very good.  On the downside, geological employment can be highly cyclical and is given to boom-and-bust mentalities, graduate education can even out some of those cycles.

What type of internships can you do in graduate school with geology? - For students willing to work, geology programs will support your M.S. education.  For instance, I worked as a Teaching Assistant at WVU for my M.S.  WVU commonly will teach 1200-1400 GEOL 101 students every semester.  The faculty does the lectures and Teaching Assistants will teach the laboratory sections.  For this you will receive a stipend, and the Department will provide you a tuition waiver.  A typical teaching assistantship will last for two years and you will be expected to complete your M.S. course load and your graduate research.  Your graduate education is effectively paid for.  Internships over the summer are possible, but you should be working on your research at that time.

Being a geologist, like any other job, has its ups and downs. This particular career is usually not the most quiet, considering most geologists work with drill rigs, water, oil and natural gas. However, during undergrad, you get to go on lots of field trips. For example, Dr. Allen already took his mineralogy class to the Smoky Mountains.

Most students think all science majors are very intimidating because of the math. You have to have chemistry, physics and calculus, but don’t be afraid of the math! Concord supplies many tutoring options as well as professors that can and will help you when needed. If you do decide to have geology as a major, a minor in a technical field would be helpful (business, geology GIS, etc.).

Concord’s geology program recently received an $180,000 grant to survey the New River Gorge. This involves drawing up maps of the southern half of the gorge. WVU will be surveying the northern half. If any student is interested in this project, contact Dr. Matchen at dmatchen@concord.edu.

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