Website designed by
Liz Chesser '04 and
maintained by Sue Swanson .
Please direct any departmental questions
to Chair Carl Mendelson
Page Last Updated April 21, 2008
Contents Copyright 2001-5 Beloit College
Website designed by
Liz Chesser '04 and
maintained by Sue Swanson .
Please direct any departmental questions
to Chair Carl Mendelson
Page Last Updated April 21, 2008
Contents Copyright 2001-5 Beloit College
Contents
Beloit College
Deparment of Geology
Student Handbook
(Revised April 2000)This handbook describes the many opportunities available to geology majors at Beloit College, contains information about schedule planning, and explains some of the whys behind the design of the curriculum. Consult your faculty advisor for clarification of any information presented in this handbook.
Welcome to the Department
Welcome to the challenging discipline of geology! This handbook will provide many answers to questions most frequently asked about the program. Some of this information also can be found in the College catalog, but is concentrated here for your convenience. We urge you to read the entire handbook now to better acquaint yourself with the department; save the handbook for easy reference as you progress toward graduation. A current copy of this handbook will be available on the web (linked to the Geology Department's home page). It will be updated periodically--check the last date of modification for the most current copy.
Make the department a home-away-from-home. You can start by bringing in a mug. The Chief Geologist (read ahead to find out who this is!) will assign a "geologic name" that will be painted on your mug. Your mug is placed on the alumni rack in the seminar room (111 Chamberlin) when you graduate and will be here whenever you return for a visit. You will find names on the cups of highly respected professionals from geology and other fields.
We urge you to get involved by participating in optional field trips and geology-club activities. We try to provide a variety of opportunities to be a geologist, but it is up to you to fully take advantage of them.
The faculty members of the Geology Department love geology. We welcome you to experience the many rewards of being a geologist, and particularly of being a Beloit College geology major. We look forward to getting to know you better throughout the coming years-while at Beloit and beyond.
Faculty and Staff
STEVE BALLOU declared his geology major in 1973 at U.W. Madison, and completed his degree from Beloit in 1999. After graduating, Steve joined the department as a part-time technician, assisting in the department with whatever needs attention.
Steve's interests span the spectrum of geologic and environmental studies.
Steve lives in Beloit township and works as a firefighter/paramedic in Janesville. He enjoys many outdoor activities and shares these interests with his wife Lanaya and their two children, Jasmine and Hilary.
CAROL MANKIEWICZ earned her B.S. and M.S. in geology from the University of California in Los Angeles. Before returning to school to earn her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, she worked for two years for the Conservation Division of the U.S. Geological Survey. She joined the faculty on a part-time basis in 1989, and on a full-time basis in 1993.
Carol's teaching interests include sedimentology and, reflecting her joint appointment in the Biology Department, marine and environmental biology. Her research interests include the ecology and paleoecology of reef algae.
Carol enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, and sewing. She lives in Beloit with her husband Carl Mendelson (see below), their son Aaron, and their two cats, Tethys and Chewy.
CARL MENDELSON earned his A.B. in biology and Ph.D. in geology from the University of California in Los Angeles. He joined the faculty in 1981. He is the newly appointed chair of the department and now the recipient of all problems.
Carl's teaching interests include paleontology, Earth history, dinosaurs (all aspects), women in science, environmental issues, and the history of geology. His research interests include the evolutionary history of an enigmatic group of microfossils known as acritarchs, and the earliest phases of evolution as evidenced in microfossils preserved in chert.
Carl enjoys traveling and hiking; he is also an avid stamp collector (he'll accept all donations). He lives in Beloit with his wife Carol Mankiewicz (see above), their son Aaron, and their two cats, Tethys and Chewy.
JAMES ROUGVIE earned his B.S. at the Univeristy of Iowa and his M.A. and Ph. D. at the University of Texas-Austin. He has a one-year faculty appointment for the 2002-2003 scholastic year.
RICHARD STENSTROM earned his B.S. in geology from Beloit College, and his M.S. in geology and Ph.D. in geophysical sciences from the University of Chicago. He joined the faculty in 1965 and has been an emeritus faculty member since 2001.
Dick's teaching interests include deformation of rocks, environmental geology, hydrology, geophysics, remote sensing, and computers in geology. His research interests include hydrology of local rivers. Among other interests are travel, photography, and finding out how things work. He lives in Beloit with his wife Gina (who has baked countless cakes for Geology Club festivities, has taught Spanish at Milton College and U. Rock, and is currently on the Beloit school board).
SUSAN K. SWANSON received her B.A. in geology from Gustavus Adolphus College, and an M. S. in geology, an M.S. in water resources management, and a Ph. D. in hydrogeology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She joined the faculty in 2001.
Before earning her PhD, Sue worked in the environmental consulting industry and as a project assistant at the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. She also spent two years in the Peace Corps teaching high school math and science in Lesotho, southern Africa. Her research interests include wetlands hydrogeology, periodic groundwater flow relating to natural springs, and groundwater flow modeling. She also has interests in the effects of urbanization on surface water and groundwater resources.
Sue enjoys gardening and hiking, and she lives in Beloit with her husband, Steve Vavrus, and cat, Desmond.
STEPHEN J. VAVRUS received his B.S. from Purdue and his M.S. and Ph. D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He joined the faculty as a Visiting Research Associate in the fall of 2001.
Steve is employed as a research meteorologist/climatologist at the University of Wisconsin's Center for Climatic Research (CCR) [http://ccr.meteor.wisc.edu]. His scientific interests include the atmosphere, oceans and ice cover, especially how they interact with one another. Steve uses numerical models to conduct research on paleoclimates, polar climates, and climatic variability, including studies of future climate change.
Steve enjoys bicycling, running, and various spectator sports. He lives in Beloit with his wife, Sue Swanson, and their cat, Desmond.
HENRY WOODARD earned his A.B. and A.M. from Dartmouth College in geology and history, and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Chicago. He joined the faculty in 1953 and has been an emeritus faculty member since 1992.
Though retired, at times it seems as if Hank teaches as much as the other faculty! His teaching interests include mineralogy and petrology. His research has focused on the complex geology in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (Minnesota) and Quetico Provincial Park (Ontario), where he has sponsored numerous undergraduate research projects.
Hank enjoys traveling (he has traveled to practically every corner of the Earth), gardening, and pickling and eating his harvest. He lives in Beloit with his wife Lyn.
Requirements for the Majors
Geology is a broad-based science that incorporates and builds on the other sciences and mathematics. We offer two fields of concentration (majors): Geology and Environmental Geology. Choose the one that best fits your interests or goals after consulting with a faculty member. Both of these fields of concentration are interdisciplinary. The Geology major will expose you to the subfields of the geology discipline; it will also give you a firm grounding in other sciences and mathematics, thus providing you with a strong base for graduate studies. The Environmental Geology major will introduce you to some subfields of geology that relate to solving environmental problems; its interdisciplinary nature stems from an emphasis on other environmentally oriented science courses (particularly in biology) and inclusion of pertinent social science courses. This track was designed to address the needs of those with interest in environmental law, management, public service, government, and journalism. We refer you to the Beloit College catalog for specific requirements for each field of concentration. A "checklist" of requirements is provided at the end of this handbook for your convenience and as an aid in planning your Comprehensive Academic Plan (CAP). [Links to geology requirements and environmental geology requirements]
Keep in mind that geology is somewhat hierarchical. The hierarchy of courses is reflected in the prerequisite structure. Normally, a student takes all required 100-level courses first or, in rare cases, concurrently with upper level courses. Because Geology 200 (Mineralogy) is a prerequisite for some upper division courses, the students should plan to take this course as early as possible to permit greater freedom in completing subsequent courses. In addition, because Geology 215 (Geologic Field Methods) is helpful in competing for summer research positions, we recommend that you take this course (only offered during the summer) early in your academic program. Note that all courses are not offered every term, and in some cases, are not offered every year.
The faculty of the Geology Department takes the College's emphasis on experiential learning very seriously. We incorporate experiential learning in every course, but it is the focus in two of our requirements for all majors: the field term and the thesis. Field terms are coordinated through the Office of Field and Career Services and must be approved in advance by the major advisor. Most students elect to satisfy the field-term requirement during the summer through work or research experience. The thesis requirement is discussed in a later section.
Geology Minor
In Fall '97, the Geology Department established a minor in geology through which we hope to educate a larger number of citizens about the planet upon which they live. The geology minor comprises 5.5 to 6 units, two of which are at the 100 level. A checklist is included at the end of this handbook. [Link to geology minor requirements]
Departmental Seminars and Thesis
The geology seminars (Geology 380 and 381) and thesis are your capstone experiences. We have several goals in the seminars, including preparing you for selecting and completing a thesis, and honing your skills at communication, discussion, and critiquing your own work and the work of others. We discuss graduate-school and career selection. Because many majors choose to begin research for their thesis during the summer between their junior and senior years, we offer the first semester of the seminar (Geology 380) during spring term. Thus, most students complete Geology 380 during the second term of their junior year.
The thesis is your chance to pursue a particular geologic interest in earnest and to challenge yourself. Through it, you will experience the ecstasy (and agony?) of doing geologic research. You will learn to communicate and defend your findings effectively to fellow students and faculty in the form of a "defense."
Most students choose to do the research for their thesis during the summer before their senior year. Thesis topics are selected by the end of the junior year. Many seek research associated with an internship or established research groups (see section on "The Keck Consortium and Other Research Opportunities"); others choose to design their own project. You may request a thesis advisor who may be different from your academic advisor, but the final assignment will be made by the chair in consultation with the faculty. Once assigned an advisor, the student will work out a comprehensive time table and outline with the advisor for completion of all aspects of the thesis. A copy of this will be given to the department chair for record keeping. The student completes the research during the academic year succeeding the summer of research. In order to complete the project, you must enroll for at least 1/2 unit of Geology 385. The final draft of the thesis, written in the style of the U.S. Geological Survey [see Hansen, W.R., ed., 1991, Suggestions to authors of the reports of the United States Geological Survey (7th ed.): Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, 289 p.], should be completed at least one month before the end of your final term; your thesis advisor will read the thesis and determine if you are ready to proceed to the next step. If so, you then can schedule your defense in which you relate the highlights of your study to geology faculty and students in a concise (30- to 40-minute) presentation and answer questions. You then can make any final corrections to your thesis. Thesis defenses must be scheduled during the regular academic terms when classes are in session (e.g., defenses will not be scheduled during final exam periods or summer and winter breaks). Detailed instructions on the written thesis and defense, including timing, will be discussed in Geology 380/381.
Academic Advising
You may select a major advisor in consultation with the department chair from the department's full-time staff. There are several situations that might limit your choice. Ordinarily, faculty do not serve as academic advisors during their first year, and we try to balance the number of advisees per faculty member. Faculty on leave must temporarily assign their advisees to someone else on the staff.
We encourage you to seek advice from all geology faculty. Your advisor will not feel slighted if you seek additional opinions; rather, s/he will respect and encourage the care you are taking in planning your program. Although your advisor will need to sign your registration card, you should discuss academic and personal problems with whomever you feel most comfortable. If you find yourself routinely seeking advice from someone other than your advisor, you might wish to consider requesting a change of advisor. A copy of your records will also be part of the files of the department chair, who is responsible for keeping the Registrar informed of the progress of majors, and for completing many requests from outside organizations for statistical information.
Selecting Supporting Courses
No single set of supporting courses is recommended for all students. We urge you to review your educational goals and elect courses that satisfy interests and extend competence in subjects or skills in which you are weak. Virtually any additional science, mathematics, or computer science courses would be valuable, and are especially encouraged if you plan to attend graduate school in geology. There are many other courses that might complement your geology major. Here are a few that might not be immediately obvious to you. As in all fields, you need to be able to communicate your findings; thus, we advise that you elect one or more courses designed to improve communication skills (such as Expository Writing, Writing across the Curriculum, and Public Speaking). Because many aspects of geology are visual, a variety of art classes such as Photography, Drawing, and Computer Art nicely complement the discipline. Finally, we encourage you to learn how to use computers to assist you in writing papers and in analyzing and presenting data-the sooner the better. Keep alert for workshops or special courses that teach these and other computer skills.
Thesis Research-Geology and Special Projects
Thesis Research (Geology 385) is selected to complete (you guessed it!) thesis research; 1/2 unit of Geology 385 is required for all majors. Special Projects (Geology 390) are individualized, student-designed courses sponsored by a member of the faculty. The course may consist of a specialized set of readings with a final project or an independent research project. You can arrange thesis research or special projects for either 1/2 or 1 unit by filling out a contract (obtained from the Registrar) with a faculty sponsor and by submitting copies to the Registrar's office.
Geology faculty will sponsor Special Projects if they feel competent and have the time to supervise your proposed project and if they judge that you have the academic background to successfully complete the project. Ordinarily, topics covered in regularly offered courses may not be the focus of research projects.
Field Trips
We believe in learning geology by seeing and experiencing it. Consequently, we incorporate field trips as often as possible into our courses. One course, Geology 215 (Geologic Field Methods), centers on how to perform a variety of field studies.
Geology students spend many hours in the field, where outcrops, quarries, streams, and glacial features provide practical experience in the application of techniques discussed in class. Field trips associated with courses vary in length. Most take advantage of the local geology and occur during the three-hour laboratory part of the course. Others may be day-long, weekend, or longer field trips, allowing us to expand geographic coverage to central Wisconsin, northern Michigan, Minnesota, and Iowa-areas known for their classic geology. During midterm break in October, we often head to more distant areas for five enjoyable days of geology; this trip traditionally has been required for those enrolled in pertinent fall-term geology courses, but is open to all interested majors.
Following the spring term, we lead longer field trips in order to expose our majors to the geology of other areas of the United States. Commonly, during Spring term, we offer a Field Excursion Seminar (Geology 171), which better prepares the student for the geology, history, and culture of the area. This course typically is not a prerequisite for the field trip, but if numbers are high, preference for the field trip may be given to students taking the course. Participation is a great way to expand your horizons, both geologically and socially, in the department. Recent trips have explored the Colorado Plateau, the Ozarks and Ouachitas, the California Sierra, and coastal areas of the Northeast. These field trips usually are at minimal cost, with food being the major expense. Occasionally, we have sponsored an overseas trip (e.g., Switzerland, New Zealand, Scotland, Iceland). These trips, though more costly, are excellent opportunities to develop geologic (and cultural and historical) insight into foreign areas.
Because we have a strong commitment to field work, we maintain a wide variety of field equipment, including cooking and eating utensils, tents, stoves, lanterns, and ice chests. Thus, the student is not required to purchase these items if participating in departmental field trips. You are responsible for personal items and a sleeping bag. At the end of each trip, we have a group "clean-a-thon" during which we clean the van, cooking equipment, and tents.
Geology Club, the Chief Geologist, and the Newsletter
The T.C. Chamberlin Geology Club, which promotes educational, recreational, and social activities related to geology, is open to all interested students of Beloit College. Involvement in the club provides the opportunity to learn more about geology and the students and faculty of the department. Recent activities have included sponsoring student, faculty, and visiting speakers (talks typically are at 7:32 on Tuesday evenings and frequently are preceded by a partially subsidized club pizza dinner); eating pizza while viewing geo-videos; picnicking; and traveling to local cities to hear speakers of interest.
Each semester, the members of the Geology Club elect the Chief Geologist, a position of honor and considerable responsibility. Duties of the Chief Geologist include checking club notices, applying for a budget, helping to organize activities, introducing many of the speakers, assigning "geologic names" to new majors, and running elections for future Chief Geologists. The faculty advisor of the Geology Club currently is Cam Davidson; he organizes and oversees many of the activities along with the Chief Geologist.
To keep informed of Geology Club and departmental events, get on the departmental e-mail distribution list-see Carl Mendelson.
Bachelor of Arts versus Bachelor of Science Degrees
The following paragraph regarding undergraduate degrees comes directly from the 1999-2000 College catalog.
"The degree normally awarded is that of Bachelor of Arts. Those whose major field of concentration is in the natural sciences (biology, biochemistry, chemistry, geology, and physics) may, however, elect to receive the Bachelor of Science degree if they present a minimum of four units in science or mathematics outside of their major department....This election is normally made at the time of the selection of the major field of concentration and must be made prior to the beginning of the senior year."
Environmental Geology majors satisfy the requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree without taking additional mathematics or science courses. The Geology major who prefers the Bachelor of Science degree, however, needs to plan ahead and be sure to complete one additional unit of mathematics or non-geological science.Graduating with Departmental Honors
1. Academic achievement. The candidate must demonstrate high academic achievement across the College (cumulative GPA of at least 3.2) and in Geology (GPA of at least 3.2 in the major).
2. Thesis. The award of Honors in Geology requires designation by the faculty of the Department of Geology that the candidate’s thesis is of honors merit (one that demonstrates independence of thought, intellectual maturity, and an in-depth understanding of the research problem). Such a designation must be made by both the thesis advisor and one additional member of the geology faculty.
3. Professional engagement. The candidate should demonstrate active engagement in the department or in the broader discipline of the geological sciences.
4. Deadlines. The candidate must:
a. Submit the intention to apply for honors (in writing), including the list of courses that satisfy the requirements for the major, to the chair of the Geology Department no later than the day of registration for the last on-campus term as a regular full-time student.
b. Submit the final draft of the thesis to the thesis advisor no later than four weeks prior to the end of classes of the above-mentioned term.
c. Successfully defend the thesis before the last day of classes.Awards and Scholarships
Several individual donors have generously established endowed funds; income from these funds allow the department to grant several monetary or material awards, prizes, and scholarships. Selection of award recipients is made by the geology faculty, and recommendations for scholarships are forwarded by the faculty to Financial Aid. Criteria for selection vary as noted under each award. The winners of the Walter S. Haven, Mineralogy, Outstanding Teaching Assistant, and Sarah Wallbank memorial awards and prizes are announced at the College’s annual Honors Day Convocation.
Walter S. Haven Research award. This award, generally a Brunton compass, is given in years when the faculty determine that a student has completed a particularly outstanding research project.
Mineralogy prize. Membership in the American Mineralogical Society, including a subscription to the journal American Mineralogist, is awarded to a student showing great promise in the study of crystallography and mineralogy.
Outstanding Teaching Assistant award. Membership in the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, including a subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education, is awarded to teaching assistants who have demonstrated excellence in, and concern for, teaching, as based upon faculty recommendations and student evaluations.
Sarah Wallbank Memorial prize. This prize (typically an inspiring book chosen by the geology faculty) is awarded to a student in an introductory geology course who has the characteristics that Sarah Wallbank ('02) displayed so well: academic excellence, dedication, and remarkable enthusiasm.
James Lockwood and Monta Wing scholarships. Scholarships are awarded to majors to help defray the costs of Geologic Field Methods (Geology 215); scholarships can not be applied to courses offered by other institutions. You must apply to be considered for the awards; applications must be received by the chair of Geology no later than four weeks prior to the end of the term before you take Field Methods. The application should include a summary of past and present courses in geology, a statement concerning involvement in the department, why you wish to be considered for a scholarship, and a copy of your most recent transcript. Recipients are chosen on the basis of past performance in geology courses, promise as an active participant in the geology program, and reasons given for requesting the scholarship. Those candidates that receive scholarships are expected to write a letter of appreciation to the donors.
Research Facilities and Equipment
Most of the Geology Department is housed on the first floor of Chamberlin Hall. We have state-of-the-art equipment available for field and laboratory use, including computers and appropriate software, Zeiss petrographic microscopes, a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer, two X-ray diffractometers, a variety of water and sediment samplers and analyzers, rock mechanics equipment, high temperature furnaces, drafting and camping equipment, canoes, a darkroom, specimen-preparation equipment, and an inductively coupled plasma spectrometer (used for chemical analysis of waters and rocks; housed on the 4th floor). You will use much of this equipment during normal coursework in geology.
Those students who are conducting research may be assigned space in one of the undergraduate research laboratories if the project requires special facilities. Most departmental equipment is available for use for research projects; and where appropriate, regular lab space may be assigned to research projects.
Research Opportunities
We believe that you learn by doing, and therefore encourage all students to obtain as much research or applied experience as possible. We work with our students to find appropriate opportunities. We strive to provide financial assistance if feasible. Our students have taken advantage of numerous research opportunities, including internships with government agencies or universities such as the University of Minnesota, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Lunar Planetary Institute, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Washington University in St. Louis. Some students choose to work on research with our own faculty either locally (e.g., watershed studies) or more distantly (e.g., British Colombia).
Within the past thirteen years, many of our students have pursued research sponsored by the Keck Geology Consortium, a group of twelve liberal arts colleges from across the United States. Funds to support the Consortium’s research projects are provided chiefly by the Keck Foundation, with special projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the twelve consortium colleges. Each summer, selected faculty from the twelve colleges oversee six four- to five-week research projects. Most projects are for juniors; two are typically designated for sophomores. Most are U.S. based; some are located in other countries. The students who participate in the research are selected the previous winter from a pool of interested students from the twelve colleges. In addition to the four or five weeks spent in the field or laboratory during the summer, Keck students, particularly those who participated on junior level projects, are expected to continue their research throughout the academic year, write up their findings in the form of an extended abstract, and present their results in poster or oral mode at the Keck symposium that is typically held in April. Thus, this experience allows the student to work on significant research with faculty and students from other colleges, to pursue an aspect of the research in depth, and to communicate the results to a larger, diverse audience.
Few undergraduates from other institutions have such opportunities. We encourage you to present your original research to a broad audience. The Keck Symposium provides a means of disseminating research for Keck participants. Students who do not participate in a Keck project often present at the Beloit College Student symposium (held in April each year), at regional or national student symposia, or at regional or national geologic meetings. The college and the department underwrite a portion of the cost of many of these outside presentations.Teaching Assistants
A position as a teaching assistant is an honor, available to only a few students each year. If you are interested in being a teaching assistant, express your interest to individual faculty and to the chair of the department. We select teaching assistants on the basis of prior coursework in geology, schedule compatibility, and potential as a teacher. Assistants receive pay for six hours per week and have access to space in which to hold office hours.
Letters of Recommendation
Many students have difficulty deciding who to ask for letters of recommendation when they apply for graduate study, a job, or a special opportunity such as a resident hall assistant. Personal contact with several faculty members is essential for meaningful letters of recommendation. Doing a research project, completing a research project course, serving as a teaching assistant, being active and visible in the department, making a special effort on an individual project for a course, and participating in optional field trips are all ways that faculty get to know you. Because we have a small, intimate department, you have to work at not being known!
Because you may want a letter of recommendation from a faculty member who has not seen you in several years, it is helpful to keep a file of excellent work you have done at Beloit college. When you ask for a letter of recommendation, remind faculty of your strengths, tell the faculty member if you want any particular ability/quality stressed, and if you think it's necessary, offer copies of your past work. A well prepared resume will help. Two rules of thumb: (1) don't assume that faculty will remember your work in detail, and (2) don't be humble. The following is excerpted from an excellent (and real!) example of a request for letters of recommendation; such a letter informs the recommender about the programs and why the student is interested in them, thereby allowing the recommender to emphasize appropriate qualities.
The recommendation materials are enclosed. I wrote this out in an attempt to answer any questions that you may have, but I would be happy to address any other questions that you may think of later.
University of Ohio - Columbus: At Ohio, I am applying to the hydrology program, which is focused on groundwater contaminant transport and remediation technologies. I'm interested in this program because they study real problems, like contamination, and are working towards viable solutions, for instance metal recovery. The program is strongly oriented towards quantitative work, developing technologies, and procedures.
University of Washington- Pullman: This program also has strengths in groundwater contaminant flow, remediation, and geochronology of groundwater. I am interested in this program because like Ohio, they address environmental problems in hydrology, but here there is also an interdisciplinary component to the professors' research that is oriented towards global change and global processes which would be able to integrate more of my interests......
There shouldn't be any problems with deadlines to the programs. Minnesota, Colorado, and Penn State are the earliest ones (January 15). Ohio and Washington are later (February 1), and Vermont has rolling admissions. Penn State requests that the recommendations be sent to me, to be re-sent to the program, but I have included another addressed envelope so that you can send the recommendation directly to them if you choose. Also, the University of Minnesota does not have an extra form to go along with the letter of recommendation.
Again, thank-you very much for being one of my recommenders.
Faculty do not honor all requests for letters of recommendation. A member of the faculty may feel that he or she does not know you well enough or cannot recommend you for a particular job. If you ask for the letter a day or two before it is due, the faculty member may not have time to write a meaningful letter. Faculty will not write a letter unless you waive your right to view the letter; if such a waiver is not included on the form, copy the attached "Request for a Letter of Recommendation" and sign the waiver. Departmental policy has been that all letters have a signed waiver to protect not only the faculty member, but also other majors and alumni who may be mentioned in the letter for comparison purposes. Please ask each faculty member whether he or she is willing to write a letter, and ask well before the due date (a month is customary). Include an addressed, stamped envelope for the faculty person to use in mailing your recommendation. If you must mail your request for a letter, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a response so you are sure that the letter was sent. Remember to tell faculty about the position or award you are seeking because different strengths may need to be emphasized for different applications. Finally, it's common courtesy to inform the recommender about the outcome-did you get the position/award or not?
Graduate School Counseling
Our department has an excellent record of placing students into graduate programs around the country. In the past 10 years, about 80% of our students have elected to continue in some graduate program, though some took a year or two after graduation to make that commitment. Most have continued studies in geology; some have pursued graduate work in biology or education. Recent graduates can be found at Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin, East Carolina University, Arizona State University, University of Massachusetts, Duke University, University of Washington, Washington State University, and MIT.
If you are considering graduate school, you should discuss procedures and options with your advisor no later than the second semester of your junior year. This is necessary to allow time for receiving applications in the mail and registering for the required entrance exams. Most graduate programs in geology require applicants to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and many require the Advanced Subject Test in Geology, which can be taken at the same time as the GRE (a grueling experience) or on a different date. Most students take these tests during the fall of their senior year. One of our alumni at a prestigious school has suggested that because many schools place a strong emphasis on GRE performance, students should make an effort to do well. Because performance on these types of exams improves with practice, he suggests that geology students take them in their junior year for practice, and then again in the fall of their senior year. Results from the general GRE are used by many universities for admission purposes as well as to determine level of funding.
Much information about graduate programs is posted outside of 111 Chamberlin. The most important reference is Directory of Geoscience Departments, which is published by the American Geological Institute; the chair of Geology has the most recent edition. The book includes all schools in North America with geoscience departments, and lists of faculty and their general field of interest. Current information about programs and departments is now readily available on the World Wide Web (WWW), and students are strongly encouraged to browse the WWW to get the most recent information. One site (http://www.phds.org/ratings) allows you to create your own customized rankings of graduate schools by assigning importance weights to over 20 different criteria. For example, you can create a ranking system that combines educational effectiveness, low time to degree, and high percentage of students with funding. The rankings are based on 1994 data from the National Research Council. The site also contains a library of useful information for prospective graduate students at http://www.phds.org. The library contains guides to finding support for school and on surviving grad school once you get there. The site is run by students and faculty at Dartmouth College and is supported by a grant from the Sloan Foundation.
Jobs and Career Information
Because our program is broad based, provides a firm foundation in the geologic sciences, promotes a hands-on approach, and emphasizes communication, our graduates are well prepared for entry-level positions in geology as well as in non-geologic employment. Our alumni have pursued a variety of career interests, including college teaching and research, environmental consulting, law, apple farming, drafting services, and government jobs. The geology faculty will be glad to discuss career opportunities with you and suggest research or field terms that might help you decide on a career. Many career or short-term positions are posted outside of 111 Chamberlin; others are included in the Departmental Newsletter, or are sent to you via e-mail (get an e-mail account now!). You are encouraged to visit the Office of Field and Career Services (711 Emerson St.) for information on vocational interest testing, job listings, résumé preparation, and interviewing skills. Finally, try the World Wide Web. For example, check out these sites (1) the National Academy of Science (http://www.nas.edu/): Careers in Science and Engineering: a student planning guide to graduate school and beyond, and for beginning scientists and engineers: an online career planning center, (2) Association for Women Geoscientists-careers (http://www.awg.org/jobs/jobs.html), and (3) AGI Geoscience Careers (http://www.agiweb.org/agi/careers.html). If you're looking for an internship, Jim Metcalf, a recent graduate, highly recommends checking out http://www.orau.gov/orise/edu/uggrad/usgs1.htm.
Alumni
Our alumni are one of our most important assets. The habits they have formed as undergraduates have taught them the value of doing the best they can at any task, and the reputation they have established for Beloit College continues to place us among top educational institutions. Beloit Geology alumni continue to be an important part of our program after graduation. It is through their generous contributions that you have access to excellent equipment, and have support in the form of scholarships and research grants. Many of the field excursions receive support from alumni. They go far beyond the monetary contributions, however, and involve themselves very actively in opening positions for Beloit students, providing advice and contacts, and sharing their experiences with us when they return to the campus. We encourage you to use this valuable resource-and at the same time pay them the respect they are due. Remember that you will be in their position some day.
THANKS FOR READING THIS INFORMATION
AND
WELCOME TO THE GEOLOGY DEPARTMENT!