Geosciences
The goal of the Geosciences Department is to ensure that students are actively engaged in developing a broad and deep background in how the Earth works, in analyzing compelling and relevant questions from a geoscience perspective, and in communicating their work effectively in order to prepare them to make better personal and professional decisions involving Earth-related issues.
About the Major
Whether a student wants to be a geoscientist or pursue another career path, Hamilton’s geoscience program gives them the foundation to better understand our geologically active planet. Students work closely and collaboratively with professors and fellow students in the lab and field to study modern active geological processes and the archive of past Earth processes in the rock record. They gain experience in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting critical data, and in communicating essential ideas both to advance science and to make a difference for our future Earth.
Students Will Learn To:
- Evaluate, using reliable sources, the current state of knowledge, major controversies, and unknowns about a geoscience topic
- Collect appropriate data to solve geologic problems
- Defend arguments with evidence
- Effectively communicate to a variety of audiences the geological ideas and data that inform decision-making involving geoscience issues
A Sampling of Courses
Advanced Hydrogeology and the Environment
Advanced topics in hydrogeology, including geochemical principles, an introduction to contaminant transport, computer modeling of groundwater flow and studies of landfills, hazardous waste sites and other environmental problems. Three hours of class and two hour lab/discussion with field trips.
Explore these select courses:
This course focused on how the fundamentals of sedimentology and stratigraphy can be used to reconstruct past environments and study how they change through time. This will include a study of the classification of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks, how the energy of systems controls the type of rocks deposited, and the paleoclimatic/tectonic significance of depositional sequences. Three hours of class and three hours of laboratory with field trips.
Digital data collection using UAVs and smart phones has become an important tool for geologists to develop high resolution images and 3-D models of field terrains and outcrops. In this seminar, students will have a hands-on, in-depth experience with the methods, uses, and limitations of Structure from Motion photogrammetry in geoscience field work and research.
A field study of the geology of southern and central Arizona. Emphasis will be placed on examining evidence of large-scale geologic processes and how humans interact with, are influenced by, and modify the natural environment. A 10-day, intensive field course emphasizing experiential learning. Course will involve moderate hiking in remote areas. January 2020; extra cost; one-half credit. Prerequisite; any 100-level Geoscience course and permission of instructors.
Meet Our Faculty
sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleolimnology, paleoenvironmental reconstruction
geochemistry and petrogenesis of Miocene volcanic rocks in the Powder River Volcanic Field; history of igneous and tectonic activity in the northeastern United States; the mineralogy of New York State
conservation paleobiology, invertebrate paleontology, taphonomy, and quantitative paleoecology
Todd Rayne
Joel W. Johnson Family Professor of Environmental Science, Director of Environmental Studies
hydrogeology and environmental geology
structural geology and geoscience education
Explore Hamilton Stories
Field Studies Class Digs Into Desert Geology
From Phoenix to Flagstaff, our caravan of three white vans trundled down interstates and bumpy dirt roads. Pulling off to the side, a stream of 34 people would rush out onto roadside outcrops, hand lenses strung around our necks and field notebooks in hand.
Searching for Clues: How Our Ancestors Evolved in Kenya
Associate Professor of Geosciences Catherine “Cat” Beck and students, Sara Shedroff ’23 and Marcella Winget ’24, traveled to the Loperot Camp in the Turkana Basin of Kenya’s Rift Valley in June and part of July to conduct research as part of the Turkana Miocene Project funded by the National Science Foundation.
Improving Conservation for Florida's Rivers and Their Inhabitants
Claire Williams ’25 conducted research earlier this summer with Visiting Assistant Professor of Geosciences Kris Kusnerik and Andrew Fredericks ’25 on the Wakulla River in Florida.
Careers After Hamilton
Hamilton graduates who concentrated in geosciences are pursuing careers in a variety of fields, including:
- Professional Geologist, Geosyntec Consultants
- Geohazards Program Manager, Colorado Department of Transportation
- Science Curriculum Development for Visiting K-12 Field Trips, Moab Museum, Utah
- Water and Natural Resources Attorney, Somach, Simmons, and Dunn
- Post-doctoral Researcher, USGS Hawaii Volcano Observatory
- Field Instructor, Voyageur Outward Bound School
- Rockies Geologic Operations Manager, Occidental Petroleum
- Agricultural Science Teacher, Madison Central Schools
- Mineral Commodity Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, pursuing an Md.
- Principal Resource Geologist, Newmont Australia
- Professor of Marine Geology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Senior Associate for Acquisitions, Prime Group, San Francisco
- Captain, U.S. Marine Corps
Explore Our Spaces
The Taylor Science Center houses the offices for faculty members in geosciences. The complex contains an atrium with a coffeehouse, an auditorium, and more than 100 teaching and student research laboratories.
Contact
Department Name
Geosciences Department
Contact Name
Cat Beck, Chair
Clinton, NY 13323
