Student Opportunities

Requesting a letter of recommendation from one of the geology faculty

Please fill out this form and email or give a hard copy to the professor as early as possible. Professional etiquette suggests that you request a letter 4 weeks ahead of its due date; the minimum lead time is 2 weeks. We spend a lot of time writing these letters to make them as thorough and helpful to your cause as possible.

It is a good idea to ask your recommender to tell you when he/she has sent the letter. Then, ~10 days before the due date, send a friendly reminder to your recommender that the due date is approaching. 

On-campus employment in the Geology Department

Each summer, the Gustavus geology department and faculty hire one or more students to assist with research, develop educational and outreach opportunities, or manage the department’s resources and materials. If you are interested in this type of position, talk to a faculty member in the fall or winter, and watch for announcements of application procedures and deadlines in the spring. During the year, the department hires student teaching assistants to help teach and grade in labs, and we are occasionally able to hire student workers to assist with research. Again, talk to a faculty member for more information.

Life after Gustavus

Gustavus geology students and alumni have recently found internships or jobs at the following types of organizations:

• State of Minnesota (e.g. Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture)
• Environmental consulting firms (e.g. Barr Engineering, Braun Intertec, Emmons and Olivier Resources, and many others)
• Public agencies in other states
• County offices (e.g. Soil and Water Conservation Districts)
• Private companies (e.g. mineral resource exploration)

Gustavus geology students have recently attended graduate school at these universities:

• University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
• University of Minnesota, Duluth
• University of California, Santa Barbara
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• Colorado School of Mines
• Central Washington University
• The University of Maine, Climate Change Institute
• University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Ohio University

Research and employment opportunities

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) opportunities for research at other colleges and universities

Almost every year, one or more Gustavus students participate in REU opportunities at other institutions. These are usually summer-long, paid research opportunities that culminate in presentations at local or regional professional conferences. Check out the National Science Foundation website for this year’s opportunities.

The Keck Geology Consortium

The Keck Geology Consortium has undergraduate research opportunities for approximately 47 geoscience students in a wide variety of geological sub-disciplines and locations.

Funding for this program comes from the NSF-REU program and the 18 member institutions. The Consortium is committed to accepting up to 30% non-Keck Member school students. The students should be juniors when they apply and US citizens or permanent residents. The program includes 4 weeks of summer research (field and/or lab work depending on the project), continuing research during the academic year (jointly advised by a project faculty member and a sponsor at the students home institution), attendance at the annual Keck Geology Consortium Symposium, and a publication in the annual Keck Geology Consortium Abstract volume.

Detailed information is available at: http://keckgeology.org/students

Gustavus Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research Grant Opportunities

Eligibility: Any undergraduate majoring in one of the natural sciences, mathematics, or psychology.

Grant Size: While the committee will entertain any justified request, the usual maximum is $500.00. These funds are expected to be used for purchasing supplies that are not routinely available in the department. The online submission form located at https://gustavus.edu/forms/sigma-xi-research-proposal, will prompt you for the proposal title, the student(s) applying, and the faculty mentor. T

Professional Societies

The Geological Society of America (GSA) provides discounts on publications, networking opportunities and career advice. Got to GSA for students to learn ow to become a member, look for grants and internships, and easily find grad school information and annual meeting information.

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) provides career networking, steep discounts on newletters and publications, and lots of great science. Go to AGU's home page and click on the link for Students. 

The Association for women geoscientists exists to promote the professional development of its members, to provide geoscience outreach to girls, and to encourage women to become geoscientists.

Geology Jobs and Geoscience

UniXL Geology Jobs. Information on geology careers for students with links to job boards.