College of Sciences & Mathematics

Department of Earth Sciences and Geologic Resources

Department of Earth Sciences & Geologic Resources

Dependence on our planet’s precious resources is at the forefront of our global consciousness. As a result, geologists will continue to fill a critical role in society and in industry. You will have opportunities to train in earth sciences as an area of specialization and the ability to develop a broad geological knowledge base for a professional career or graduate study.

Areas of Study

Lumberjack Spotlight

  • STUDYING PREHISTORIC FORMATIONS WITH ADVANCED TECHNIQUES

    Jacob Meinerts was an SFA graduate student in geology. Currently, he is working in the Lampasas Cut Plain in Central Texas within Fort Hood Military Installation. Jacob is studying carbonate rocks from the Cretaceous era. The delineation of heterogeneous carbonate strata, including detailed mapping and petrographic analyses, will help determine the depositional and diagenetic history of the Edwards Group, unique biozones and the geomorphic evolution of the Owl Mountain Province.  

    Jacob Meinerts, SFA graduate student in geology

    Jacob Meinerts, Class of 2018

Transformative Experiences

At SFA, we believe students benefit greatly from hands-on learning in and out of the classroom.
Transformative experiences are at the core of our academic philosophy.

SFA Geology Fieldwork
SFA Geology Research
  • Our goal is to help geology students make the transition from classroom theory to real-world understanding. Weekend field trips and summer field camp provide endless adventures and bring what you’ve learned in the classroom to life. Of course, there’s plenty of camaraderie, too.
  • Anticipating and adjusting to environmental and global changes requires in-depth research into resources, natural hazards and processes, and human interaction with the Earth. At SFA, you’ll have access to research – even as an undergraduate.

Meet Our Students

  • Barbara Kemeh

    Barbara Kemeh

    Barbara is a graduate student in geology who plans to work as a petroleum geologist. She is currently researching X-ray fluorescence chemostratigraphy to characterize the Utica Shale play in Ohio, helping better define the depositional model to identify sweet spots for petroleum exploration.

  • William Thompson

    William Thompson

    William is a graduate student in geology planning to pursue a career as a petroleum geologist. He is studying depositional environment and resource potential in Runnels County, Texas, identifying and correlating rock units found in rock cores to electronic logs that measure various parameters of the rock.

  • Danielle Minteer

    Danielle Minteer

    Danielle completed her bachelor’s degree in geology at SFA and is now pursuing her master’s degree. As part of her graduate research, Danielle is using gravity and electrical resistivity techniques to determine the causes of reactivation of a fault line in Montgomery County, Texas.

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