Department of Geology and Geophysics

Geography Program

122 Geology Building, (307) 766-3386
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/geography
Program Director: Carrick M. Eggleston

The Geography Program organization may be changing pending review.

Professor Emeritus:

John L. Allen, William L. Baker, Ronald E. Beiswenger, Thomas Buchanan, William J. Gribb, Deborah D. Paulson

The Geography Program is comprised of faculty with interests and expertise in geography, planning, and resource management. The program focuses upon the following:

The origin and nature of the physical and cultural environment, how the physical environment and its natural resources form, and how the environment and natural resources affect the quality of life.
The ways in which people and institutions affect natural resources and the environment.
The variety of methods and techniques with which we solve or prevent problems through the planning and management of natural resources.
The ways in which human institutions (e.g. political, economic, social) interact to produce diverse human landscapes.

Four Fundamentals of Geographic Learning

The Geography Program has identified four fundamental goals of geography to emphasize in its undergraduate curriculum. These four goals are at the intersection of topically important areas in the discipline of geography. We continue to evaluate student learning in our program to insure our curriculum addresses these fundamental goals as effectively as possible.

Goal 1 - Human-Environment Interaction
Students will be able to identify and explain how humans modify the environment and affect Earth’s biophysical systems through their human activities.

Goal 2 - Biophysical Systems
Students will be able to identify and explain an array of patterns, processes, and interactions in Earth’s biophysical systems occurring at different spatial scales.

Goal 3 - Human-Cultural Systems
Students will be able to identify and explain an array of patterns, processes, and interactions across Earth’s human landscapes at different spatial scales.

Goal 4 - Geographic Thought, Methods and Analysis
Students will understand basic geographic concepts and ideas, and will be capable of using them to inform their work. Students will also demonstrate the ability to select and use appropriate tools and techniques for addressing geographic problems and conducting geographic analysis. They will also be able to use multiple methods to examine, represent, and visualize Earth and its geographic characteristics.

Environment and Natural Resources

The program offers a concentration in the university’s interdisciplinary program, Environment and Natural Resources. A description of the concentration requirements is available online at the ENR website.

Graduate Study

The Geography Program offers coursework leading to the Master of Arts and Master of Planning degrees. Areas include: physical geography, natural resource management,spatial analysis, information, and display, and human geography. Areas in planning include: land use planning, environmental planning, and small town and rural planning.

Program Specific Admission Requirements

In addition to the minimum requirements set forth in this Catalog, applicants must submit a statement of academic and professional goals. Applicant evaluations are based on GRE score, undergraduate G.P.A. and 3 letters of recommendation. Undergraduate deficiencies, identified by the candidate and advisor, can be remedied during the degree program.

Program Specific Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are available as both teaching and research assistantships. Applicants for graduate assistantships must submit their completed materials to the program graduate coordinator by February 15th prior to the fall semester for which they are seeking the assistantship. Students already in the program as well as new applicants for admission may apply for graduate assistantships. Assistantship duties will be determined following the award and acceptance of the student.

Geology and Geophysics

122 Geology Building, (307) 766-3386
FAX: (307) 766-6679
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/geolgeophys
Department Head: Carrick M. Eggleston

Professors:

MARK T. CLEMENTZ, B.S. University of Missouri, Columbia 1996; Ph.D. University of California, Santa Cruz 2002; Professor of Geology 2019, 2005.

CARRICK M. EGGLESTON, A.B. Dartmouth College 1983; Ph.D. Stanford University 1991; Professor of Geology 2006, 1995.

CAROL D. FROST, A.B. Dartmouth College 1979; Ph.D. Cambridge University 1984; Professor of Geology 1995, 1983.

NEIL F. HUMPHREY, B.S. University of British Columbia 1978; M.S. University of Washington 1983; Ph.D. 1987; Professor of Geology 2002, 1990.

BARBARA E. JOHN, B.A. University of California-Berkeley 1978; Ph.D. University of California-Santa Barbara 1987; Professor of Geology 2002, 1992.

SUBHASHIS MALLICK, B.S. Indian Institute of Technology 1976; M.S. 1978; Ph.D. University of Hawaii 1987; Professor of Geology and Geophysics and the School of Energy Resources 2008.

JAMES D. MYERS, B.S. University of Rhode Island 1973; M.A. The Johns Hopkins University 1977; Ph.D. 1979; Professor of Geology 1993, 1981.

BRYAN N SHUMAN, B.A. Colorado College 1994; M.S. Brown University 1997; Ph.D. 2001; Professor of Geology 2016, 2007.

KENNETH W. W. SIMS, B.A. Colorado College 1986; M.S. University of New Mexico 1989; Ph.D. University of California - Berkeley 1995; Professor of Geology 2014, 2009.

YE ZHANG, B.S. Nanjing University (PR China) 1998; M.S. University of Minnesota 2004; Ph.D. Indiana University 2005; Professor of Geology 2019, 2007.

Associate Professors:

MICHAEL J. CHEADLE, B.A. Oxford University 1981; M.S. Cornell University 1984; Ph.D. Cambridge University 1989; Associate Professor of Geology and Geophysics 2001.

PO CHEN, B.S. Beijing University 2000; Ph.D. University of Southern California 2005; Associate Professor of Geology and Geophysics and the School of Energy Resources 2014, 2008.

ELLEN D. CURRANO, B.Sc. University of Chicago 2003; Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University 2008; Associate Professor of Geology and Geophysics 2017, 2014.

KENNETH G. DUEKER, B.A. Whitman College 1984; Ph.D. University of Oregon 1994; Associate Professor of Geophysics 2006, 2000.

DARIO GRANA, B.S. University of Pavia 2003; M.S. 2005; M.S. University of Milano Bicocca 2006; M.S. Stanford University 2013; Ph.D. 2013; Associate Professor of Geology and Geophysics and the School of Energy Resources 2019, 2013.

JOHN KASZUBA, B.S. Beloit College 1982; M.S. Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University 1986; Ph.D. Colorado School of Mines 1997; Associate Professor of Geology and the School of Energy Resources 2008, 2012.

BRANDON McELROY, B.S. University of Michigan 2000; M.S. 2003; Ph.D. University of Texas 2009; Associate Professor of Geology 2019, 2011.

TOM A. MINCKLEY, B.S. Northern Arizona University 1987; University of Arizona 1996; M.A. University of Oregon; Ph.D. 2003; Associate Professor of Geology 2014, 2012.

CLIFFORD S. RIEBE, B.S.E. University of Michigan 1992; Ph.D. University of CaliforniaBerkeley 2000; Associate Professor of Geology 2014, 2008.

JACQUELINE J. SHINKER, B.S. University of Arizona 1996; M.A. University of Oregon 1999; Ph.D. 2003; Associate Professor of Geology 2011, 2005.

Assistant Professors:

JAMES CHAPMAN, B.S. College of William and Mary, 2003; M.S. University of Texas at El Paso, 2008; Ph.D. University of Arizona, 2018; Assistant Professor of Geology and Geophysics 2018.

KIMBERLY LAU, B.S. Yale University 2009; Ph.D. Stanford University 2017; Assistant Professor of Geology and Geophysics 2019.

ANDREW PARSEKIAN, B.S. Dickinson College 2005; Ph.D. Rutgers University 2011; Assistant Professor of Geology and Geophysics 2013.

SIMONE RUNYON, B.S. Illinois State University 2007; M.S. University of Arizona; Ph.D. 2017; Assistant Professor of Geology and Geophysics 2018.

Research Scientists:

BRADLEY CARR, B.S University of Wisconsin-Madison 1987; Ph.D. University of Wyoming 1995; Assistant Research Scientist Senior 2017, 2013.

KEVIN R. CHAMBERLAIN, B.A. Colgate University 1979; Ph.D. Washington University 1990; Research Professor 2004, 1990.

JANET C. DEWEY, B.S. Mississippi State University 1990; M.S. Auburn University; Associate Research Scientist 2017, 2011.

SUSAN SWAPP, B.A. Indiana University 1977; M.S. Yale University 1978; M.Ph. 1979; Ph.D. 1982; Senior Research Scientist 1994.

Adjunct Professors:

Vladmir Alvarado, Erin Campbell-Stone, Eric Erslev, Warren B. Hamilton, Peter H. Hennings, W. Steven Holbrook, Ranie Lynds, Laura Vietti

Professors Emeriti:

Donald W. Boyd, James I. Drever, William E. Frerichs, B. Ronald Frost, Robert Houston, Robert R. Howell, Jason A. Lillegraven, Ronald W. Marrs, Randi Martinsen, James E. McClurg, Scott B. Smithson, Arthur W. Snoke, Ronald C. Surdam

Geology is the study of the origin, history and structure of the earth. Our undergraduate offerings encompass virtually every aspect of the science, with emphasis on current theory, methods and applications. The philosophy of the department is to provide sound training in both theory and field observation, and to couple this background with a thorough education in modern laboratory, quantitative and field techniques required for an understanding of geologic processes.

The setting of the university in the Rocky Mountains is ideal because some of North America’s most outstanding geologic features are within a short drive of campus. The semiarid climate in Wyoming has resulted in excellent exposures of diverse rock types ranging in age from Precambrian to Recent. Deformation of the rocks in the region has been extensive, affording the student a field laboratory that exhibits a wide diversity of styles of faulting and folding. Mineral deposits, petroleum resources and coal abound in the region.

Undergraduate Majors

The Bachelor of Science in geology is designed for those students who intend to become professional geologists and/or those who plan to attend graduate school in geosciences. The program includes courses normally expected of graduate school applicants, including a summer field camp and courses in related sciences and mathematics. This degree program prepares students for the examination for the professional geologist license.

The Bachelor of Arts in geology and Earth sciences is specifically designed for undergraduates who wish to study Earth sciences as a foundation for careers in a variety of areas, such as environmental law, natural resource business, land use planning, Earth science education, science journalism, and many governmental positions. The B.A. program includes a broad spectrum of courses, and focuses both on information about the Earth and on how society makes decisions that affect the Earth system.

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geology and Geohydrology is designed for those students who intend to become professionals in environmental fields such as consulting, site assessment, hazard assessment, and remediation. The degree will prepare students for graduate school in environmental disciplines and for entry-level jobs.

Majors in any of the degree programs above may also choose to declare an affiliated degree with the School of Environment and Natural Resources by completing degree requirements for both degrees. Students should consult the section on the School of Environment and Natural Resources.

The Department of Geology and Geophysics also participates in the Earth System Science interdisciplinary program by offering a concentration in geology for the B.S. degree in ESS. Students interested in this major should consult the section on Earth System Science for curriculum requirements.

Required Academic Performance

In order to graduate with a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree in geology, the student must earn a letter grade of C (S where appropriate) or better in each course listed herein as part of the required course programs. This grade requirement applies to course work taken outside the department, as well as to transfer courses credited in lieu of resident requirements.

Graduate Study

The department offers instruction and research programs leading to master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees in both geology and geophysics and to the master of science in geology/water resources.

Program Specific Admission Requirements

All applicants must complete an online departmental application form with statement of intent. Forms are available from the Department of Geology and Geophysics Web site at www.uwyo.edu/geolgeophys.

Application deadline is January 15 of each year.

All applicants should have completed undergraduate coursework including mathematics through calculus, one year of chemistry, basic training in geology, and for most areas, one year of calculus-based physics.

Applicants to the geophysics graduate program should have an undergraduate degree in geophysics, geology, mathematics, physics, or engineering.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program, without a M.S. degree, must have attained an exceptional undergraduate record.

Formal approval of application by the departmental admissions committee.

Formal acceptance by an adviser.

Formal notice of admission by the university.

Program Specific Graduate Assistantships

All applicants to the geology and geophysics graduate program are considered for assistantships. Applicants are NOT required to complete the graduate assistant application form.