Plants grow in soils, animals thrive on the plants, humans live off of the animals, drink the planet's water, and live on its surface. Minerals and petroleum are extracted from beneath the earth's surface for materials and energy. Recreational activities take place on the land surface, on water, and on ice and snow. Environmental degradation is a constant concern related to all of these uses. There are numerous career paths to follow within this realm, all relevent to the social and economic well being of earth's inhabitants.
Career opportunities abound in geology and geophysics.
Demographically, the United States is changing. The largest age group of geologists and geophysicists will reach retirement age in the next several years. This will create a large number of replacement jobs in industry, government, and academia. Nationwide, universities presently are enrolling and graduating Geologists and Geophysicists at the lowest rate in many years, and the trend continues to decline. The large numbers of retirees combined with a low number of new graduates almost ensures a very strong demand for today's geology and geophysics graduates, particularly those that are technology oriented.