Welcome to the website of the Department of Geology at the University of Georgia. The Department of Geology is dedicated to providing the highest quality teaching and research opportunities to the people of the State of Georgia as well as the community of scholars around the world. We are a diverse group of 21 faculty members, approximately 35 graduate students and 40 undergraduate geology majors as well as office and technical staff members. Currently we occupy approximately one half of the Geography-Geology Building which is one of the main science buildings on the University of Georgia campus in Athens GA.
Research is one of our two primary missions, and is focussed on the increased understanding of geological processes, the optimal use of earth resources, and the reconstruction of earth's history to illuminate its future. Our research strengths reflect the diversity of our faculty and are also diverse but can be grouped in four areas: Earth Systems History, Crust and Mantle Dynamics, Geochemistry and Environmental Geosciences. As you explore this website, you will find links to these research groups where current research is described. Moreover, there will be links to individual faculty websites where comprehensive descriptions of current research will be found. Graduate students are critical components in our successful research programs – and the experience these students gain in the research programs is a fundamental aspect of their graduate education.
Our second primary mission is to provide high quality education in the geological and environmental sciences to the citizens of Georgia as well as citizens of other states and countries who are attending the University of Georgia. We work hard to achieve these goals by offering classes in physical and environmental geology as well as the history of life and the earth to undergraduates with varied backgrounds. We are keenly interested in promoting the development of environmentally literate citizens who can make informed decisions on the environmental problems that face society. We also reach out to community groups, and public and private schools to promote the development of environmental awareness, and to engage younger students in the geological sciences.
As part of our educational mission, we prepare undergraduate geology majors for careers in the geological sciences and success in graduate school, should they choose to continue their education. We achieve this goal by utilizing the expertise of our diverse faculty to teach a series of required core courses, (Earth Materials, Surficial and Near-Surficial Processes, Life, Environment and Ecologies of the Past, Internal Earth Processes, Structural Geology, Sedimentary Geology), upper level elective courses and a capstone field school. With this background, our undergraduate majors go on to successful careers as professional geologists in the oil and gas, environmental, and mineral industries or continue their education at leading institutions in the geological sciences.
Our educational mission also emphasizes the development of creative earth scientists through our graduate program. Each graduate student works closely with a faculty advisor to develop an original research project that leads to the creation of new knowledge about the Earth or its planetary neighbors. In addition to the research project, our graduate students take organized classes in our department as well as related departments – this classwork provides a unique opportunity to develop a strong and broad background in sciences relevant to the student’s research direction. Our goal is to produce earth scientists who will take on leadership roles in scientific research and education.
Doug Crowe
Professor and Department Head
