Geology - Dig It!
The full-color version of the Dig It; 2016 Geology Newsletter is now available on the Geology website. Scan it for the latest news about current research projects, Responsible Mining Initiative internship recipients and scholarship winners, faculty activities, alumni, etc.
A few highlights include:
- Students were involved in research projects extending from Eau Claire to Argentina, and they presented this research at professional geology conferences in Duluth (Institute on Lake Superior Geology), Champaign-Urbana (North-Central Geological Society of America) and Baltimore (Geological Society of America).
- Some $30,000 in Responsible Mining Initiative scholarships and grants were awarded to Geology majors this spring.
- Eighteen students had paid internships during the 2015-16 academic year (17 during summer 2016, a new record, see pages 12-13). These internships not only provided valuable, hands-on work experience with leading mining and environmental companies and organizations, but students also earned approximately $137,000 to help defray school expenses. This number and quality of paid internships is quite unique for an undergraduate geology program.
- MSHA training (page 24) was provided for students on the UW-Eau Claire campus.
- Five interns attended the 2015 Frac Sand Supply & Logistics conference in San Antonio, TX (the only undergraduates at the conference).
- Read the hilarious story about an ill-fated spring break geology field trip to the North Shore of Lake Superior. During this "historic" field trip in the 1970's, students and faculty found free (but less-than-ideal) accommodations in a jail! (See page 22 in Paul Myers' tribute to Dr. Ronald Willis.)
The cover image shows three Geology "field campers" heading out into a mapping area in western Montana during our Field Camp II course. The full cover truly shows "Big Sky Country!" I think the photograph by Heidi Giacalone (UWEC's LTS Photo) nicely captures the sense of adventure associated with geology. If you are a student who likes science and the outdoors, perhaps Geology is the academic home for you!