Geology

=Geology=

For more information contact Ray Kuntz
media type="custom" key="23359044" Geology is the study of the Earth, its processes, its materials, its history, and its effect on humans and life in general. Rocks, crystals, mountains, earthquakes, volcanoes, rivers, glaciers, landslides, floods, and many other subjects fall into this broad field of research. Geologists perform a wide range of important services for our civilization: they determine the stability of building sites, find abundant supplies of clean water, search for valuable deposits of natural resources such as iron, coal, and oil, and they also try to minimize the threat to communities at risk from geologic hazards. For the past several years Geology has been listed as one of the top 10 jobs with unfilled openings, and also is among the top 10 highest paying jobs. If you like to get paid to travel to some very interesting off the beaten track places this may be the career for you.

Possible Careers Include:
 * Volcanologist:** This option studies the formation of volcanoes, and their eruptive cycles (there was a reason Volcanologists knew Mt. Saint Helens was past due for an eruption). A very active field is to find a way to predict volcanic eruptions.
 * Glacialologist:** This is the study of ice in all of its manifestations and the study of all natural phenomena where ice is involved. The retreat of glaciers is one of the reasons cited for global warming.
 * Seismologist: ** Study the interior of the Earth, and since we have seismic data from the moon it is possible to study the moons interior. The same techniques used to study the interior of the earth are used to study the interior of the Sun - the Sun has Sunquakes!
 * Petroleum Engineer:** Working for an oil company is the most likely place - the pay is excellent, and the work very challenging.
 * Paleontologist:** This involves long hours in the field trying to find fossils - plants, mammals, reptiles, bacteria, foot prints, and other types of fossils. It is a very interesting field. You will reconstruct what life was like in the past - millions of years ago.
 * Climatologist:** This involve long term predictions of how are climate is changing, and why. What will be the average weather in California in 50 years? You will be the one who can answer this question.
 * Sedimentalogist:** Using sand, mud, clay, and the processes that resulted in their being deposited you will interpret the geologic history of an area. This has very important implications for Civil Engineers - they need to know what the ground is like for building any type of structures.
 * Civil Engineer:** Want to build a bridge, tunnel, freeway interchanges, water treatment plant - this is the job for you.
 * Geophysicst:** If you like applied math this is one great job. You will study the physical properties of the Earth and possible other planets.
 * Hydrologist:** This is the study of water - its occurrence, distribution, movement, and properties. As global warming progress this is becoming an increasing vital science.

Places to visit for more information: The United States Geological Survey - includes earthquake maps - [|www.usgs.gov]

Californa Department of Conservation - []

San Francisco State University Geology Program - [|http://www.sfsu.edu/~bulletin/current/programs/geosci.htm#673104].

U.C. Berkeley Paleontology Program - http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/

United States Geological Survey Hydrology Program - http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hydrology.html