Geology Program
The Geology Program at SOU
The Geology program at SOU is field-oriented natural science, using the "outdoor laboratory" as well as standard indoor workplaces. Field observations inspire indoor investigations, which again lead outdoors, to new field discoveries. Field study must be taught, and SOU is perfectly situated, with the sunny southern climate, as well as the proximity of Oregon's old metamorphic rocks. A great variety of rocks (granitoid plutonic rocks, volcanic rocks of most compositions, low to high grade metamorphic rocks, clastic sedimentary rocks) lie within a short driving distance.
At some universities, the faculty are primarily interested in research together with their graduate students. Since we do not have a graduate program in geology, we emphasize teaching and research training for undergrads. Faculty teach not only lecture courses but the laboratories as well.
Undergraduates in the Geology program have access to sophisticated equipment, including GPS Receivers, X-Ray Fluorescence, Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Detector, Petrographic Microscopes, Thin-Section Lab, and Computer Labs.
Additionally, the Geology program offers a focus on water resources. The need for fresh water is growing throughout the world (even in Oregon!). Fresh groundwater is an important resource, for geologists to find and to interpret. In many areas, ancient groundwater is being "mined" and becoming depleted. The Geology program at SOU focuses on these issues, providing student with the necessary skills to succeed in this specialized area of study.
