The department has research programs in geology, geophysics, and geochemistry. In addition, the presence of the Materials Research Center, the Rock Mechanics and Explosives Research Center, and the Mining, Geological, Petroleum, Ceramics, and Metallurgical Engineering Departments, considerably expand our capabilities through cooperative projects and the sharing of equipment. The department is very well equipped for research in these areas including excellent laboratory facilities and advanced equipment for petrology and ore microscopy, electron microbeam optics and analysis, x-ray diffraction and fluorescence, trace element geochemistry, stratigraphy and sedimentation, and PC and Mac access for all students. The geophysics program is oriented toward exploration seismology and the computer analysis of geophysical data as well as potential field methods with emphasis on electrical methods.
Opportunities do exist, however, for work in earthquake seismology and remote sensing.
The latter is a cooperative effort with the Departments of Mining, Petroleum, and Geological Engineering. The major employers of our graduates are petroleum and mining companies. The department has initiated a new graduate program in groundwater and environmental geology with opportunities for emphasis in hazardous waste management and environmental protection. The program is offered in cooperation with the Department of Geological and Petroleum Engineering and involves 15 faculty members in the combined disciplines. The program is aimed at providing an individual with the technical background necessary to evaluate the contributions of geological conditions in environmental assessment studies, including hazardous waste management, mined land reclamation, engineering groundwater, groundwater pollution, and site characterizations for major civil works.