Undergraduate Research in Geology at UWEC

Faculty-Student collaborative research is the hallmark of the geology program at UWEC. Each faculty member in the Department of Geology is committed to the philosophy that 'learning' science is best achieved by 'doing' science. The learning by doing philosophy has proven enormously successful at preparing our students for both industry and graduate study. Since 2000, our students have co-authored presentations at regional GSA meetings (North-Central; Rocky Mountain; Cordilleran), national GSA meetings (Boston, Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City), national AGU meetings (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005), and the international GAC-MAC (2003, 2004) and the Cordilleran Mineral Roundup (2000-2006) meetings. Abstracts of each faculty/student collaborative research project can be found by clicking on...

Student Research Day Posters

Laura conducting sequential extraction for metal speciation studies from Coeur d'Alene River.

Research is conducted in a wide range of subjects including:

• Environmental geology
• Experimental petrology
• Field petrology
• Geophysics
• Hydrogeology
• Isotope geology
• Mineralogy
• Petroleum geology
• Quaternary geology and geomorphology
• Sedimentation and stratigraphy
• Structural geology

Current research projects include:

• Magmatic and structural evolution of the Helena Salient, Montana
• Magmatism and tectonic history of the Central Montana Alkalic Province
• Stratigraphy of west-central Wisconsin
• Ground-water studies in Eau Claire County and area
• Sedimentation in the Keweenawan Rift
• Human adaptation to Holocene landscape evolution, Canadian plains province
• Mississippian mixed carbonate-siliciclastic depositional environments, Appalachian basin
• Glacial geology of western Wisconsin
• Electron microscopy of clay minerals
• Heavy metal contamination and remediation along the South Fork of the Couer d'Alene River, Idaho
• Crystal growth speedometry
• Water in nominally anhydrous minerals
• Deuteric alteration of igneous rock
• Glacial geology of west-central Maine
• Stratigraphy and Geochemistry of Jurassic Hazelton Group, Iskut River Area, British Columbia
• Geochemistry and petrology of Jurassic Plutonic Suites, Iskut River Area, British Columbia
• Delineation of spring recharge boundaries in west-central Wisconsin
• Estimation of soil texture using geophysical techniques
• Petrophysical relationships to monitor nitrate concentrations